Once we were young
by goalattack
Summary: What if Grace and Josh had met before Grace married Conor.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note**  
>Good Afternoon All.<p>

I haven't had much time for writing lately and this isn't the sequel to Wanted that I really wanted to publish. I do have parts of it sitting there ready to go but it needs a lot of work….more than I have time for at this point in time.

This, I apologise, is not exactly high quality. This started sometime last year as one of those things I swore that I would never let leave my hard drive and I'm still not convinced that posting it is the right thing to do, however I do want to write some more of it and posting the start of something is usually the motivation I need to finish it.  
>It is fluff at it's very poorest. The plot isn't great, in fact in many chapters there is not a lot happening, but it does deal with a few things which are mentioned in Season 1 of Rush. It was inspired by Josh and Graces conversation about children and how Josh wanted a little girl with a blonde ponytail who was stubborn and it kind of just took off from there.<p>

* * *

><p>Once we were young.<p>

* * *

><p>"This is bullshit! What sort of regionals has the girls cross country starting at the same time as the guys? Not even the school carnival does that! They're gonna bloody get in our way" a 15 year old Michael Sandrelli whinged.<br>"So start hard, get out in front." Brendan 'Josh' Joshua replied with a laugh "and you won't have to worry!"  
>"And what if I have to push past one to get to the finish line?"<br>"Then you're doing something wrong cause you should be way out ahead of any of them."

"Did you hear that Gracie?" Alana Wynn asked, the two girls standing nearby stretching against the fence.  
>Grace Reid gritted her teeth and nodded. "Yep" switching legs to stretch out her left calf.<br>"You don't just want to beat Stella now do you?" she laughed watching the focus intensify on her friends face.  
>She laughed and shook her head. "Narh now I've gotta beat whoever they are as well"<p>

The race began fifteen minutes later. As expected Josh very quickly broke ahead of the pack. Not being one to look back he pushed forward, easily lengthening his lead.  
>Grace took a steadier start to the race, taking the first 500m to really push past the other contenders, easily passing the female contenders before pushing herself to overtake Michael on a straight stretch, surprising the teenager and throwing him considerably as she pushed herself into second place. For the next three and a bit kilometres Grace paced herself off Josh keeping a steady jog about twenty metres behind him.<br>With about three hundred metres to go Grace really started to make her legs work, pushing herself hard to close the gap between her and the boy in front of her.  
>With one hundred metres to go Josh was stunned to hear footsteps nearly level with his. Grace pushed forward managing to level with him, unable to resist taking a quick look to her left to check out his expression. Josh didn't see her look, his eyes were focused straight ahead, a look of determination etched on his face as he powered on breaking into a sprint for the last eighty metres.<br>Grace pushed on beside him, running faster than she had ever run in her life but unable to overtake Josh again; crossing the finishing line just two metres behind the boy in front of her.

Exhausted and out of breath both collected their coloured raffle tickets confirming that they were the victors of their respective divisions and took a cup of ice cold water offered to them by the race officials. Grace took her water a few metres away allowing herself to fall back against the hill leading up from the oval they'd finished on, laying back into the grass as she caught her breath tipping the water over her head and face. Josh allowed himself to collapse beside her, propping himself up on an elbow sipping his water as he continued to suck in the oxygen, not used to having to finish so strongly.  
>After a few minutes of catching her breath Grace too propped herself up on her elbows turning to offer him a hand. "Congratulations. Nice race."<br>He grinned "Thanks. You too. I'm not used to being pushed like that"  
>"By a girl?" raising her eyebrows.<br>"By anyone." Shaking his head; incredibly impressed that the girl beside him had pushed him so hard. "That's my training partner just finishing now" he nodded to Michael as he crossed the line to take forth position in the male division, making him fifth all up.  
>She nodded in acknowledgement. "I'm buggered" she admitted with a laugh.<br>"I'm not"  
>"Bullshit!" she called him on it with a laugh.<br>"Yeah ok, you made me finish pretty hard."  
>Grace sat up properly still laughing as a teacher from her school came over to her. "Nice work Gracie" handing her a bottle of water. "None of the others are in yet."<br>"They won't be far" she commented, taking the lid off the bottle and having a slurp. "Thanks for this" gesturing as she swallowed.  
>"You're welcome. Don't forget your recovery."<br>She nodded as the teacher walked away, offering the bottle to Josh who gratefully accepted taking a swig. "Ahh crap" she said a few seconds later as the next female competitor crossed the line.  
>Josh swallowed quickly "Not what you hoped for?"<br>She shook her head. "Nope. Is mortal enemy too strong a word?"  
>He smiled. "Maybe."<br>"I just thought Alana would have it in her to beat her" seeing her friend cross the line about ten metres behind.  
>Michael walked over with another two bottles of water tossing one at Josh. "You ready?" he checked, ignoring Grace.<br>"Yeah I'll be over soon."  
>Grace pushed herself up to a standing position. "I better head down anyway. Guess I'll see you at state. Congratulations again." She smiled and went down to the finishing line to hug Alana and congratulate her.<p>

"Oh good. So you beat her then?" Michael double checked as Josh rejoined the school team.  
>"Yeah. Only just though. She gave me a run for my money on the last two hundred."<br>"As long as you creamed her at the end it doesn't matter."  
>"You're embarrassed you were beaten by a girl?" Josh called him on it.<br>"How's a guy supposed to push past a chick?"  
>"It was cross country! You could have gone around" laughing. "Besides, you let 3 others past ya mate. Don't blame her cause you stuffed up."<br>Michael rolled his eyes. "She threw me off ok?"  
>Josh just laughed at him. "Loser" he teased. "Say bye bye to states."<p>

"How'd you go?" Alana checked, pulling her hair out of its band and resecuring it in a neater ponytail as she too sucked in the air.  
>"Second. "<br>"Second? I got third and Stella came in just before me."  
>"Yeah. Sorry first from our race…couldn't pip him though" pointing to Josh.<br>"You beat the whiney one though?"  
>Grace nodded. "You were soooo close to catching Stella. You'll get her next time. Third though… we're going to state!"<p>

* * *

><p>Back at their school three hours later Grace finally had a look at her mobile phone. Smiling, she returned the missed call from her boyfriend of three months Conor Barry. The son of a family friend, Grace had known Conor since they were both about seven but hadn't had much to do with each other in their early teenage years, when their families had insisted that all the Reid and Barry children attend a lunch earlier in the year.<br>With a push from both sets of parents the two had begun spending more time together and before either of them knew it they were 'going steady'. Conor had just turned seventeen and was in the same year as one of Graces three brothers, all three attending the all-boys school located next door to the all-girls school Grace and Alana attended.

"Hey Babe it's me" she smiled when he picked up walking away from the group.  
>"Gracie! How'd you go?"<br>"Yeah good. I got through to state"  
>"That's great!"<br>"I'm sorry I missed you, we got held up at the carnival. I've only just got back to school."  
>"I'll come pick you up now?"<br>"It's ok. I'm going straight to touch anyway…I just wanted to say hi."  
>"Touch? This afternoon? Gracie you've run four kilometres already. I thought you were taking the night off?"<br>"I was but Ava's done her ankle again so we're short if I don't play."  
>"Can't they get a sub? I want to see you tonight."<br>"Narh we need to win this one. I'm alright to play. I'll be finished by six thirty. Why don't you come over after dinner?"  
>"You're not gonna fall asleep on me again?"<br>"Noooo" she laughed. "I'm not gonna live that down am I? I was exhausted. And it was a crap movie."  
>"Never. Alright I'll pick you up from touch if you like?"<br>"Sounds good. "  
>"I love you"<br>She smiled to herself. "Me too. I'll see you soon. Bye." Hanging up and going to get changed for touch.

* * *

><p>Grace grinned when she looked up after the game and saw Conor waiting for her. Grabbing a bottle of Gatorade from the coach and running over she was stopped from kissing him by Conors arm.<br>"No way Gracie. You're not touching me until you've had a shower."  
>She laughed and looked down at the sweat and dirt that covered her. "C'mon babe it's not that bad!" trying to kiss him again.<br>He laughed. "Yeah it is. I have no idea why you find this game appealing. I think you'd be cleaner if you mud wrestled. You're sitting on a towel!"  
>She laughing taking his hand instead. "C'mon I won't be long". Pulling him back over as when talked to the coach and grabbed her things before walking back to Conors car with him, rolling her eyes as he put a towel down on the car seat to protect it. "Sometimes I think you love this car more than you love me?" she teased.<br>"Mmmm it'd be a big decision if I did have to choose" he joked back closing the door for her once she was in.

"Have you got your costume for Friday night yet?" Conor checked with her forty five minutes later when they were back at her place, Grace freshly showered and in shorts and a singlet looking through her DVD collection while Conor sat on the lounge.  
>"Friday night?" she asked only half paying attention.<br>"Gracie! Nathans party. I've told you about it three times!'  
>"Yeah yeah I knew it was coming up just didn't realise it was this Friday."<br>"But you're still coming right?" he doubled checked as she put a DVD in.  
>"Course I am" sitting back on the lounge beside him, kissing his cheek. "Costumes a surprise though."<br>"Meaning you haven't organised anything?"  
>"Meaning it's a surprise and I'm not telling you until Friday night" she laughed. "Relax" she instructed cuddling into his side and pressing play and watching the movie with him.<p>

* * *

><p>Grace skipped netball training on Friday afternoon coming straight home from school for a change, saying a quick hello to her mother before going upstairs to get ready.<br>"Hey Leish?" sticking her head into her older sisters room on her way back from the bathroom to her room, wrapped in a towel fresh from the shower. Leisha was Graces oldest sibling, at 21 she was in her second year of an arts degree at university. Very much a free spirit Leisha had given her parents grief throughout her teenage years and they were just happy that she'd finally settled down to study after a wild GAP year backpacking through Europe.  
>"Hey yeah?" laughing at her. "What?" having sussed her out. "You're home early… are you going out?"<br>"Yeah to a party with Con. Can I borrow your curling iron?"  
>"Yeah sure. You need a hand?"<br>"Would you mind?"  
>Leisha shook her head clearing some papers from her bed. "Sit down…tell me what you want."<br>"Nothing fancy…loose curls. I'm pulling them back into pigtails so they don't have to be perfect."  
>"Pigtails? What, are you twelve?"<br>"It's a costume party" she laughed.  
>"Ooooh what's your costume?"<br>"Sailor" she laughed. "I had to improvise with what was in my wardrobe...and I borrowed a hat off Alana."  
>"Soooo what are you wearing?"<br>"An old dancing costume with a striped singlet under the vest"  
>"Short…skanky…sequins?"<br>Grace blushed and nodded. "And a trench coat over the top so Dad will let me out of the house."  
>"Yeah that's not a bad idea. Conors eyes will roll back into his head. Wait, wouldn't my youngest brother also be going to this party if it's one of Conors friends?"<br>She shook her head with a laugh "Narh. I don't think he goes to St Eddies. Someone Conor knows from debating or something. Thank God. It's too awkward to make out with Con under Chris's watchful eye. Sometimes I think that's why Mum & Dad were so keen on the idea of Conor and I. Chris is at every second date."  
>Leisha laughed "You might be onto something there."<p>

**Two hours later**

"GRACIE. CONORS HERE" Andrew, Graces eldest brother yelled out to her as he opened the door.  
>"Andrew don't be so rude. Conor come in sweetheart" Mrs Reid pushed Andrew out of the way and turned to Andrews twin Simon who was sniggering on the couch. "You're just as bad. The two of you should be upstairs studying, not down here giving your sisters' boyfriend a hard time. You have exams in two weeks."<br>"Two weeks Mum. We'll study in two weeks then" Simon rolled his eyes at Conor. "How you doing old mate?"  
>"Good…I might go upstairs and let Grace know I'm here if you don't mind Mrs Reid?"<br>"Of course not love, go ahead."

Conor went upstairs and knocked on Graces bedroom door.  
>"Come in" she invited, in the middle of doing up her trench coat.<br>"Hey babe" he said, walking over to give her a kiss. "Is that your costume?" looking at the coat.  
>"Is that yours?" laughing at the devil horns. "Seriously? Big effort there. And no, the coats not my costume."<br>"Give us a look then?"  
>She laughed taking the coat off and putting her hat on.<br>"Wow. You look amazing… I'm going to spend my entire night beating guys away from you with a stick… Are you sure you want to go out in that?"  
>"You're kidding right?" she asked doing her coat back up. "It's longer than my netball skirt. It's fine. C'mon lets just go" not impressed with his question.<br>"Gracie…wait..I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. You look amazing…really. I'm very impressed."  
>She calmed down as quickly as she fired up, reaching for his hand. "Least I dressed up" she smiled flicking the horns on his head. "C'mon."<p>

After a couple of hours at the party Grace excused herself from the conversation with Conor and Conors mates going back into the house in search of the bathroom. Returning she spotted Josh standing looking lost over near the food, going over to say hello.  
>"Hey. If it isn't Usain Bolt" she greeted with a smile.<br>"Gracie right?"  
>"Yeah… good memory."<br>"Your teacher called you it. I'm Josh."  
>"Well it's nice to meet you properly. How do you know Nathan?"<br>"I play footy with him. What about you?"  
>"I don't really. He's a friend of my boyfriends….. You look about as bored as I feel" she laughed grabbing a glass and filling it with Coke.<br>"Yeah. This.." gesturing to the party "it's not really my scene. They're a bit up 'emselves. I was gonna bail soon."  
>"You could stay? Entertain me. I'm only a little bit up myself." She laughed.<br>"A little bit? Don't you go to St Pats? Michael said you're all princesses there."  
>"You're stalking me?" Grace raised her eyebrows.<br>"No. Michael recognised the bus."  
>"Michaels would be the one sulking because I beat him?"<br>"Ahhh so you did overhear us before the race?"  
>She nodded firmly. "Sure did. Why do you think I wanted to beat you so much?"<br>"Have to try harder next time?" he offered with a smirk.  
>"Alright. You're on!" she laughed.<br>"What? We're not racing against each other at States."  
>"No but they'll time us. You vs Me…purely on times."<br>"Ok…and what do I get when I wipe the floor with you?" he asked with a laugh.  
>"Twenty bucks?"<br>"I'm flat broke."  
>"Guess you better win then." She teased going to sit on Nathans lounge.<br>Josh followed taking a seat beside her. "You look great by the way."  
>"Anything's an improvement on bright red, sweaty and gasping for breath right?" she smiled.<br>"No I mean it. It's a great costume."  
>"Thanks… Conor hates it."<br>"Conors an idiot then."  
>Grace laughed. "You're not supposed to say that out loud."<br>Josh shrugged his response.  
>"What about you?" she asked, checking out his jeans and t-shirt. "What are you supposed to be?"<br>"An undercover cop."  
>"Really? That's the best you could come up with!"<br>He laughed. "Narh...I don't do dress ups."  
>"You really chose the right party then didn't you?"<br>"I've only been here a couple of months… thought it would be a good way to meet some people."  
>"And is it?"<br>"I've met you."  
>Grace smiled. "You'd already met me."<br>"Yeah sorta. You drinking?"  
>"Drinking?" holding up her coke.<br>"Booze. Did you want a beer?" he offered leaning over the back of the lounge and grabbing two out.  
>"Um ok…" taking the offered beer and taking the lid off.<br>Josh laughed. "You don't have to. You don't drink?"  
>"Only girlie drinks.. and a bit of wine at dinner" she admitted.<br>He smiled setting his unopened beer on the ground. "Well…have a sip, and I'll drink it if you don't want it."  
>She nodded putting the bottle to her lips, pulling a face at the smell before drinking a mouthful. Swallowing it quickly she pulled another face. "Yuck" handing him the bottle reaching for her coke to wash it down. "You really like that?"<br>Josh laughed taking another mouthful. "Yeah, you get used to it. Try it again in a minute."  
>"Yeah right."<br>"No trust me. It gets better" he laughed.  
>She waited another few minutes before reaching for his beer again, taking another mouthful still pulling a face.<br>"Drama much? You didn't mind it that time!" he accused.  
>"Yeah it wasn't as bad. Think I prefer my lolly water" having another sip and handing it back to him. The two were in the middle of sharing the second beer when Conor came back inside.<br>"Gracie I thought you were coming back out."  
>"Narh. Conor have you met Josh? Josh is the guy that beat me in the cross country the other day. Josh this is Conor."<br>Conor glared at Josh. "You're giving her beer? She's fifteen!" He snatched the drink away from her. "Grace you're parents are going to kill me! What the hell do you think you're doing? Get up."  
>"Conor it's one drink. I'm not even tipsy. We're just talking. Give me back the beer."<br>"No. Get up Grace. I'm taking you home."  
>"I'll get a cab when I'm ready to leave" she shot back stubbornly.<br>"How much has she had?" Conor asked aggressively turning to Josh. "You bloody idiot. What are you doing giving her alcohol?"  
>"Oh give it a rest Conor, I'm not drunk. I'm annoyed."<br>"Right well you can be annoyed in the car. C'mon you're never gonna get a cab on a Saturday night."  
>"Give me back the beer." She challenged.<br>Conor sighed and handed it to her. "Happy?"  
>She nodded taking another mouthful before handing it back to Josh and standing up. "Sorry about this… I'll see you at States?"<br>"Yeah...you gonna be ok?" he checked.  
>Grace nodded. "Yeah. I'll see you around. Night."<br>"Night."

Grace left the party with Conor in silence. Getting straight into the car, Conor turning to look at her once they were both inside.  
>"Over your tantrum yet?" he asked.<br>"Conor I had barely had half a beer. I was finally starting to enjoy myself at that boring party and you walked in and told me off like a bloody kid" she fired back up. "Just shut up and drive" she told him annoyed, turning the music up.  
>Conor shook his head starting the car and driving back towards Grace's house, pulling over at a park a few kilometres from her parents' house moving his hand onto her leg.<br>"You're kidding right?" she almost laughed. "You want to make out?"  
>"C'mon Gracie. It wasn't that big a deal, and I've hardly seen you all week."<br>"I just want to go home Conor. "  
>He sighed and nodded. "Alright fine," driving her home in silence, turning the music back up.<p>

To be continued.

My apologies that is ends in such a strange place but like I said, it is a pretty slow fic and does take a while to proceed.


	2. Chapter 2

_Well here is Chapter 2.  
>Please let me know what you think; the more feedback and suggestions I receive the better I am going to write so I would really appreciate your thoughts if you get a chance.<em>

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><p><strong><strong>

**The Following Day**

Grace waved goodbye to Alana's mum as she drove off, having been dropped off after her netball match.  
>"How'd you go?" Andrew asked her as she walked in, Grace giving him a thumbs down with an exaggerated pout.<br>"Lost by two."  
>"Making a bit of a habit of losing this week aren't you?" he teased.<br>"Shut up!" laughing. "At least I try!"  
>"Ahhh trying…first step towards failing Sis."<br>Grace gave him the finger, quickly hiding it as she heard her mother's voice calling out to her.  
>"Gracie, Conors' called about five times. He wants you to call him back"<br>"Tell him I'm busy" she called back.  
>Andrew raised his eyebrows at her amused, her mother entering the lounge room.<br>"Are you two fighting?"  
>"No."<br>"Grace Louise?"  
>"Mum, just leave it OK" she snapped. "I need a shower" walking out, going upstairs to the bathroom.<br>Andrew laughed. "Looks like my baby sister's finally getting sick of the pratt."  
>"He's not a pratt Andrew. Conor is a lovely boy. Gracie could do a lot worse than him" she scolded. "Have you been putting ideas in her head again?"<br>Andrew laughed. "As if anyone could put ideas in Grace's head Mum. They've had a fight. Let her sort it out."

Within five minutes of Grace getting out of the shower the phone rang again.  
>"Gracie…Are you still not home?" Andrew yelled as he ran up the stairs.<br>Grace stuck her head out of her bedroom. "What?" confused.  
>"Are you home yet?" he teased. "Phone for you" passing it to her.<br>She glared at him taking the phone and going back into her room. "Hello?"  
>"Gracie it's Conor. Please don't hang up."<br>"What's up?"  
>"I'm sorry about last night. I overreacted."<br>"Yeah you did."  
>"Can you forgive me?" he tried.<br>"….I suppose." She softened. "I'm sorry for carrying on about it."  
>"I know…. Hey, How about a movie tonight?"<br>"That depends…is it your shout?"  
>"I suppose" he laughed. "I'll come and get you and we can plan it out from there."<br>"OK, I'll see you soon. Bye."  
>"Love you….bye Gracie."<p>

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><p><strong>Sunday<strong>

After a morning spent working at the front counter in the local pharmacy Grace was itching to be outside in the fresh air before an afternoon she'd planned to spend eating into the ever growing pile of homework that awaited her. Getting changed into her running gear in the bathrooms at the back of the pharmacy she threw a backpack on her back and said goodbye to her colleagues, jogging home the three kilometres from work via the local park.  
>"Grace" a voice called out to her on her second lap around the running track. Stopping she grinned as Josh ran up to her. "I thought it was you. What are you doing here?"<br>"On my way home from work. I have two assignments waiting for me at home and I'm procrastinating" she laughed.  
>"Sounds boring."<br>She nodded, "Incredibly."  
>"How 'bout a rematch? Loser buys the winner an ice-cream?"<br>"You're on. Where too?"  
>"Three laps? Finishing lines that telegraph pole up there?"<br>She nodded. "Hope you've got enough on you for a Magnum" she teased.  
>He laughed. "Hope your pays gone in already."<br>Grace poked her tongue out. "Ready?" Josh nodded. "Alright…GO" she yelled taking off.  
>Josh laughed easily catching up to her, Grace allowing him to push slightly ahead, once again pacing herself off him. Josh picked up on what she was doing and as the last two hundred metres approached pushed himself into a sprint, Grace doing the same but unable to catch him; Josh beating her convincingly.<br>Leaning against a tree to catch her breath Grace managed a smile as Josh stood beside her grinning.  
>"You're gonna have to be a little less obvious if you want to beat me next time" he teased.<br>"Whatever"  
>"I knew what you were up to….you were never gonna win that."<br>"Alright smart arse. You teach me how to beat you then!"  
>"Oh you're never gonna beat me" he shot back amused.<br>Grace laughed. "Cocky!"  
>"But true. And I believe you owe me an ice-cream."<br>"Yeah yeah give me a sec," taking a couple of deep breaths.  
>Josh grinned putting his hand on her shoulders. "That's it. Suck the oxygen in loser."<br>Grace looked up ready to bite, her breathlessness forgotten before seeing the laughter in his eyes. "Dickhead" she replied "Alright, let's go" walking to the shop with him, buying the two ice-creams.

"You do make me think you know." Josh turned to her when they sat down at the table outside the takeaway store to eat.  
>"Oh. Does it hurt?" she queried, smiling.<br>"Funny. No, about what I'm doing. I've never worried about a finish before."  
>"I'm better at short distance."<br>"You're great at short distance, just need to work on taking the lead earlier and not pacing yourself off the person in front of you….in case they're better at distance….like me."  
>Grace rolled her eyes. "I'd kick your butt in a hundred metre sprint."<br>"You don't learn do ya?" he laughed.  
>"Competitiveness. My greatest trait."<br>"…I don't know about that" Josh smiled. "Stubborn would get a look in as well."  
>She smiled back, tucking her hair back behind her ear. "Sarcasm ranks highly too. And charm."<br>"Yeah…you've certainly got that," he laughed. "So what do you say?"  
>"To what?" she asked confused.<br>"We train together again? It'd be nice to run with someone for a change."  
>"Yeah OK. That sounds good. Monday is my only free afternoon…what about after school?"<br>"Yeah that works."  
>"Great. Is tomorrow too soon to start?"<br>"I'm ok with it…I finish at 2.30…I could finish up and meet you at your school if you want?"  
>"Yeah. Could run our cross country track… " she smirked. "I might actually be able to beat you if I take a short cut"<br>"Cheater…"  
>"Might have to, to stop that head of yours getting any bigger…I am going to beat you at State you know."<br>"Dream on."

* * *

><p><strong>Monday<strong>

The following Monday Grace met up with Josh outside her school, still in her school uniform, a smart green blazer over the top of her school blouse, accompanied with her green school skirt and tights.  
>"Good afternoon" she smiled going over to him. "I just got out and I've still got to get changed, but you can come in if you like?"<br>"That'd be good" he followed her into the grounds, having been receiving funny looks out the front on his own. "So this is a good school?"  
>Grace laughed, "Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed?"<br>"Not overwhelmed…just inadequate. But I think that's the point right?"  
>"We're not all that bad" she rolled her eyes going down to the change rooms to get changed. "I'll be really quick. Did you want me to throw your bag in my locker?"<br>"That'd be good" Josh passed her his school bag.  
>Grace was true to her word and was out of the change room within a couple of minutes, pulling her hair back into a messy ponytail as she walked out in running shorts and a singlet.<br>"I'm impressed. I thought you'd take ages" he laughed.  
>"Because I'm a chick?" she raised her eyebrows at him.<br>"Yeah."  
>"Are you trying to fire me up to beat you?" she laughed. "I can take my time when I want to, but I am going for a run, not to a party."<br>"I said I was impressed" he grinned. "You better stretch, I'm not gonna hold back on you today."  
>"Oh you've been holding back have you?" she laughed. "I'm fine. C'mon."<br>She led him down into the grounds, verbally mapping out the route to him. "Or you could just follow me" she added with a teasing smile.  
>"Fat chance" he grunted.<br>"I've changed my tactics….you told me to stop pacing myself off you."  
>"Doesn't mean I'm going to give you a choice in it."<br>"Whatever" she laughed taking off down the path.  
>Josh laughed easily catching her, running beside her down the straight, forcing himself to put a little more effort into the run to force Grace to do the same, the two running the track in a really good time, breathing heavily when they finished.<br>Grace wiped the sweat off her brow, brushing the hair which stuck to her forehead out of the way. "That felt good."  
>"Yeah it did."<br>Grace reached out for the fence, stretching her calf out as she caught her breath.  
>"Are you right?" Josh checked.<br>"Yeah it just gets a bit jammy…best to stretch it out straight up. I can't believe the time we made on that…I thought it would take a while more. You actually made me work again."  
>"Yeah I know. We could run it again."<br>Grace stared at him. "You must have rocks in your head. I think once is enough for one afternoon."  
>Josh made a chicken noise.<br>"Don't you dare" she protested. " That's not fair. I'm exhausted. And you know that'll work" Grace groaned.  
>"We'll just jog it this time" he offered. "C'mon princess. Suck it up, you're fit enough. Push yourself."<br>"I hate you" she gave him a look as he started running again, forcing herself to catch up. "This is abuse, you know that right?"  
>"Shut up or I'll run faster" he laughed, jogging this lap at a more steady pace.<br>"Sadist" she laughed shutting up and jogging the second lap by his side, sitting down on the grass when they finished. "I am not going again. You're on your own if you want to do it."  
>"No precious I think I've done enough too" he sat down beside her. "You did good. Be honest…you feel better for the second lap?"<br>"No, I feel like I want kick you" she pouted.  
>Josh laughed flicking her with water from his bottle. "Go on, I dare ya."<br>Grace squealed as the water hit her, glaring at him for a second before grabbing hers and tipping the entire contents over him, jumping up and sprinting back to the change rooms giggling hysterically.  
>Josh caught her easily, grabbing her around the waist and picking her up, her legs still kicking in the air and she continued to protest.<br>"Don't" she warned him, trying not to laugh. "I'm sorry" she tried.  
>"No you're not" he laughed, opening his bottle and letting it tip into her hair.<br>Grace squealed again, "That's mean."  
>One of the teachers working back stuck their head out of the staffroom. "Grace is everything alright?"<br>Josh set her down slowly, trying not to laugh as Grace nodded. "Yes Miss. Sorry we are just mucking around."  
>"Your friend…he shouldn't be on school property without a visitors pass."<br>Grace nodded. "I'm just getting changed and we're leaving."  
>Josh snickered as she went back into the staffroom. "As if I'd want to kidnap you anyway…you'd whinge non-stop the whole time."<br>Grace elbowed him in the ribs for his comment, dragging him into the change rooms with her. "If you stay out there they'll probably arrest you but if you look at me while I'm changing I'll hit you…so it's your call. Choose wisely."  
>Josh laughed sitting down on the bench as she got changed, catching her eye in the mirror as she changed her top.<br>"Josh!" she protested.  
>Josh smiled briefly and looked away. "I don't know what you're worried about, you're hot."<br>"Oh yeah Josh. 'What did you get up to this afternoon Gracie?' 'Oh I got changed in front of another guy Conor'" Grace mocked pulling a hoodie over her shirt.  
>"When you put it like that it sounds kinda creepy."<br>"Yeah" she laughed. "All done."  
>"I can drop ya home if ya like?"<br>"That'd be great…thanks" she pulled her wet hair back. "Still keen to do this again?"  
>"Yeah… same time next week?"<br>Grace nodded, "Sounds good to me. I'll probably go for a run Saturday morning if you're not doing anything?"  
>"Sure, just text me and I'll join ya if nothing better comes along."<br>She threw her shoe at him laughing, "Right…so that's how we're playing it are we?"  
>"Ouch!" he threw it back. "Be nice."<p>

* * *

><p><strong>3 weeks later<br>Sunday**

Flopping back onto the grass after a run Josh groaned. "What's with you today? Enough Grace" he complained as she prepared to run another lap of the oval. "Come and have a drink at least. You were going before I even got here."  
>She shook her head going to grab her water bottle from him sitting down beside him, her legs burning. "I'm fine."<br>Josh laughed. "No you're not. "  
>"What? What's so funny?" she challenged evidently looking for an argument.<br>"You're not fine Gracie…"  
>"No I'm pissed off and you're sitting here laughing at me!"<br>"Ok OK I won't laugh at you. What's wrong?"  
>"Nothing."<br>Josh couldn't help himself and laughed again. "Gracie I like you OK but I'm not one of your ditzy school friends. I'm a bloke, if you tell me nothing's wrong I'm going to assume there is nothing wrong and I'm just going to ignore whatever this 'nothing' is."  
>She groaned dramatically, punching him playfully in the shoulder. "You're impossible" she exclaimed falling back onto the grass so she was lying down.<br>"Would you like me to ask you what's wrong again so you can get it off your chest?" He asked smiling down at her.  
>"I hate you sometimes" she finally laughed. "I was enjoying my moment."<br>"Being a princess from St Pats?" he teased.  
>She offered him a half smile. "Conor and I broke up last night" she explained.<br>"Oh" was all Josh could think of to reply.  
>"Oh? That's all you've got?" she asked sitting back up.<br>"Yeah. What did you want me to say?"  
>"I don't know Josh. A hug would have been nice or an "I'm sorry Gracie that must suck!""<br>"I'm not sorry Grace."  
>Grace shook her head, she really enjoyed the company of the boy beside her but she could never work him out. He was so unlike anyone else that she associated with, instead of pandering to her when she was being irrational he'd call her on it, and now instead of comforting her he'd once again given her an unexpected response. Her instinct was to get up and run off however she was intrigued as to what he would say next.<br>"You're not sorry that I'm upset?"  
>"Of course I'm sorry if you're upset, I'm just not sorry you two broke up."<br>"Nice Josh."  
>"He's boring Gracie. You're not. In the long run he's gonna hold ya back."<br>Grace looked surprised at his words. "You think?"  
>"You know that Grace. Who called it off?"<br>"I did."  
>"Why?" he pushed.<br>"I got asked to try out for the Victorian under seventeens netball yesterday and he got the shits. Started up again how he never gets to see me as it is and I shouldn't be taking on anymore outside activities. It's none of his bloody business. I'm sick of him nagging me all the time. I do my best to see him Josh, I really do, but I am busy and he knew that when he asked me out! So I called it off. I'm sick of arguing and I'm not ready to change." Grace could feel the frustration starting to build again and knew that tears weren't far off trying to push them back not actually wanting to cry in front of Josh despite her drama queen act earlier.  
>Josh knew her well enough to know she was genuinely upset this time and put his arm around her shoulders. "You shouldn't have to change Gracie. I know his type. He wants a wife. He wants a long term girlfriend who, when she turns eighteen he'll propose to, they'll be married at nineteen and by the time she's twenty four they will have two point five kids and she'll be a stay at home mother looking after the house they were given as a wedding present from their rich parents. You're not that girl. You have too much drive in you to be waiting on someone. You're too young to have the pressure of that on your shoulders."<br>Grace laughed a little leaning into his side. "You do realise you just described my mother to a T right?"  
>"I didn't know that. But I'm right, aren't I? That's not you?"<br>"Kids scare me."  
>Josh laughed. "You'll be OK. You know that right?"<br>"Yeah I know. He's right though, I'm way too busy for a boyfriend anyway."  
>Josh gave her shoulders a squeeze. "Yeah...you've got a state title to win and a netball team to get into."<br>Grace laughed, "It's funny because I wouldn't have made the team anyway."  
>"You're not going to try out?"<br>"Narh, I'm not that good…it was nice to be asked though. I might trial to see how I go but even if I did make it, training is two nights a week in the city and it's just too much on top of what I'm already doing."  
>"Alright… when do you play next?"<br>"Saturday. Why?"  
>"Can I come watch?"<br>"You want to watch me play netball?" Grace laughed, it had been a long time since anyone but her sister had come to watch her play netball, and Conor had never showed up at a game despite her asking him multiple times.  
>"Yeah. I wanna see you play."<br>"Alright" she grinned. "Two o'clock. Court twelve. We're in blue."  
>Josh smiled pulling her closer and giving her a hug "You'll be alright mate."<br>"Thanks".


	3. Chapter 3

_Well I have a whole heap of chapters edited and ready to go, the question is, how frequently should I be posting? I know that some of these are really quite long and probably not the most thrilling read so I don't want to post too much at once, but please let me know what you think._

_Thank you to all that have reviewed or sent me PM's. They are very much appreciated._

* * *

><p>Alana grinned when she saw Josh turn up at their netball game that weekend. Their game had just started and Alana was on the bench and was looking out for the boy Grace hadn't stopped talking about since he'd beaten her at the cross country a few weeks ago. Alana had only seen him briefly from a distance at the carnival but picked him straight away when he turned up at the courts still in his football gear.<br>Alana knew from the look on Graces face that she was determined to play well that day. Not only was she playing on Stella, the same girl she had been desperate to beat in the cross country, but Alana knew that Grace had been told that there would be selectors at the game that day and that despite Grace swearing she wouldn't be able to play she knew she would want to impress them. Alana was very aware of the third motive for Graces focus before the game; whether Grace realised or not she wanted to play well to impress the boy she had so far failed to beat during any of their friendly races at training.  
>Jumping up off the sidelines Alana walked over to Josh.<br>"You're Josh right? Gracie told me to keep an eye out for you. I'm Alana."  
>"Hey. Yeah I'm Josh. They been playing long?"<br>"About five minutes, come and sit down?"  
>He nodded following her over to where their supporters were sitting. "You play as well?" he checked, watching Grace move around the court with ease.<br>"Yeah I do. Probably won't get much time today though; they're a good team so coach will stick with the top seven."  
>"Gracie's in the top seven?"<br>"Yeah…see over there?" she asked gesturing to three ladies standing on the other side of the court.  
>"Yep" Josh nodded.<br>"Selectors. They'll be watching the other teams goal defence, she's amazing and word is they've got their eye on Grace as well….WOOHOO Nice work Cassie!" she screamed as their own goal defence took an intercept.

Josh tensed up two minutes before the end of the quarter when Grace hit the ground coming off the foot of the opposing centre. Grace had been running rings around Stella on the court and frustrated at being unable to stop her Stella had managed to trip her as she attempted to drive onto the edge of the goal circle, Grace hitting the asphalt before she knew what was happening, wincing for a second before jumping back up and continuing play.  
>"She's fine" Alana told Josh seeing him knowing her friend who tended to bounce on the netball court if she went down. "Relax" she laughed to Josh. "She hits the ground almost every game, she's never down long."<p>

Grace ran over to him in the break, grabbing her water bottle from Alana and taking a swig. "You made it" she grinned at Josh.  
>"You're good" he grinned back in awe. "I'm actually impressed."<br>"You should be. I'm awesome" she teased. "I gotta go, sorry" she gestured to her coach apologetically, running back over.  
>Alana laughed at him. "She's a girl in demand. I better go over too."<br>"It's all good" he shrugged still watching Grace.

With nine minutes to go Grace knew the two teams were very tight. With the ball in her hands she delivered a clean pass into the circle to their goal shooter, wincing as the shooter, rattled by the persistence of the other teams defence poorly offloaded the ball to their goal attack who was under the post. The opposing goal defence read the play well and plucked the ball from mid air Grace groaning as she set back down the court, switching straight into defence. Determination took over Graces face when she realised she too could take an intercept, anticipating the wing defences pass across court to her player. Sprinting across the court her eyes were only for the ball as she leapt into the air to pull it in, grabbing it firmly with both hands. Stella saw Grace making a run for the ball in her peripheral vision and made a clumsy attempt to grab the ball at the last minute, misjudging her jump and hitting the ground hard and landing right in Graces landing space, Grace landing awkwardly, coming off Stella's leg, the umpire calling for time as Stella's scream pierced the ears of all those at the courts.  
>As all attention turned to the player screaming in pain, Grace remained unnoticed, still on the ground, their goal defence calling for their coach to come onto the court as she ran to check on her friend.<br>Alana turned to Josh who had already stood up alarmed. "This one's not good. Gracie normally bounces straight back up after these things" she said rushing onto the court to see what was going on with her best friend.  
>Grace was white, still lying on the court where she fell, whimpering when one of the teams support staff touched her leg, her left knee obviously dislocated, out at an abnormal angle.<p>

After two minutes the umpire came over, talking to the coach quietly. "Alright girls, we'll have to finish the match on court three, we don't want to move Grace until the ambos get here. Alana...you're on for Grace."  
>Alana looked surprised still crouched down beside Grace holding her hand "She's hurt…"<br>"Yes and we need to win this for her" the coach instructed firmly. She knew that her girls were shaken by the injury but also knew that they had to complete the game. Her girls were playing high level netball and they had to understand that the game must go on. Stella was back on her feet walking off the impact from hitting the ground and the other team were ready to complete the game. Alana looked as though she was ready to tell the coach where to stick it when Grace spoke.  
>"I'm ok" Grace reassured her. "Go on. Show 'em what you've got."<br>Josh saw what was happening walked back over with a couple of jackets. "I'll stay with her" he reassured Alana crouching down beside her and Grace. "Go on. There's nothing we can do until the ambo's come."  
>Alana nodded, obviously shaken, taking the bibs off Graces uniform and putting them on, moving to the other court with the other girls.<br>Josh folded one of the jackets and gently put it under Graces head, putting the other jackets over her as she started to shake. "The ambo's are on their way ok? I'll give your parents a call and they can meet you at the hospital" he reassured taking her hand. "You'll be alright."  
>"It hurts" she whispered.<br>"I know it does. But as soon as the ambo's get here they'll give you something for the pain." He moved his other hand to stroke her hair back from her face.  
>Grace closing her eyes. "Stupid bitch" she mumbled still shaking.<br>Josh laughed gently giving her hand a squeeze. "You still cold?" She nodded and he took his own hoodie off, wrapping it around her as gently as he could, pulling her skirt down to protect her modesty. "I think it's the shock" he added as her coach came back over to check on her.  
>"Grace, how you doing?" she checked.<br>Josh turned to her. "I think she's in shock. She's shaking."  
>The coach nodded. "They're about fifteen minutes off.<br>Grace made a move to sit up, the remaining blood draining from her face as she did.  
>"Whoa Gracie take it easy" Josh moved swiftly to sit behind her and take the weight of her upper body. "You sure you want to be doing this?"<br>"The grounds cold" she whimpered.  
>Josh nodded in response, putting his jacket back around her shoulders, moving so that she was sitting against him, wrapping his arms around her to warm her up and comfort her.<br>"Grace I really think you should lay back down" her coach protested.  
>"No…" she mumbled, looking a little more relaxed in the position.<br>"I'm not going to let her drop" Josh reassured the coach. "She looks more comfortable this way."

The second the game was over Alana and the other girls sprinted back onto the court to check how Grace was. Grace still sitting in Josh's arms, Josh still whispering reassurances to her, rubbing her arms gently to keep her warm.  
>"Is she ok?" their Goal Keeper checked.<br>"Should she be sitting?"  
>"Who are you anyway? We'll take over, she's our friend."<br>Josh looked annoyed at the influx of questions. "She's as comfortable as she's going to get. And she's not being moved again until the ambos get here" he told them firmly, too concerned about Grace to bother answering all of their questions.  
>"Did you win?" Grace checked opening her eyes again, almost disappointed at the interruption. Despite the throbbing pain in her leg she was surprisingly comfortable in Josh's embrace.<br>"Down by one." Anna broke the news to her gently. "Sorry Grace…we tried."  
>"We'll get 'em next time Gracie" Cass echoed.<br>Josh brushed her hair back gently as he saw the ambos approaching. "The ambos are here" he informed the girls. "You better give them some space."  
>The girls nodded and moved back, Alana taking Graces hand again. "I'll call your Mum, OK?"<br>"Thanks Alana" she replied quietly.  
>Josh kissed the top of her hair softly. "They'll stop the pain in a minute" he promised, going to move when the ambos arrive. Grace whimpering again as he let go of her.<br>"You're right mate." The paramedic reassured him. "We're not gonna move her just yet."  
>Josh nodded moving his arms back around the petite blonde "I've got ya."<br>The ambo turned to Grace handing her a penthrox inhaler. "Suck on this, it will help with the pain."  
>She took the whistle gratefully taking a couple of deep breaths as they looked at her leg.<br>"Alright Grace we're going to have to move you onto the stretcher now, do you think you can help move across?"  
>"Wait, can't you just pop it back in for her now?" Josh interrupted.<br>"It's not that simple mate" the ambo shook his head. "They'll want to take some x-rays first."  
>"It's fine. I can move." Grace agreed.<br>Josh let go of her so that she could shuffle over onto the stretcher, Grace reaching blindly for his hand to grab hold, gritting her teeth trying not to cry out in pain. He took her hand again once she'd finished moving, only letting go to help the ambos lift her into the van.  
>"Where are you taking her?" Josh checked.<br>"You can ride with her if you like mate" the ambo offered.  
>Josh looked thoughtful for a moment but shook his head. "Narh, Alana you better go with her. I'll follow."<br>Alana nodded climbing in the back of the ambulance with Grace. "We'll meet you there. She'll be fine Josh."


	4. Chapter 4

_Well a big Happy Easter to anyone who celebrates it and a Happy Long Weekend to everyone else. I am unfortunately chained to a desk for much of this weekend but couldn't help sneaking on to share this little piece straight from the Easter Bunny._

* * *

><p>Josh arrived at the hospital half an hour after the ambulance did, having struggled to find a park. Walking up to the admissions counter he rubbed his temples. "Ahh my friend just arrived via ambulance, Grace…Grace Reid" he enquired.<br>The lady behind the desk typed the name in and nodded. "Come on through" showing him to where Grace was still on a stretcher with the ambos.  
>"Has she been seen yet?" he checked with Alana who shook her head.<br>"Not yet. They're really busy…they said they shouldn't be long. They gave her a shot of something though, I think it's helped."  
>Josh nodded walking up to her reaching for her hand. "Hey Princess…how you doing?"<br>She turned to face him, squeezing his hand tightly. "I'm alright. It's just uncomfortable now, the pains not too bad. Just don't look at it, you might vomit."  
>"The doctor should have seen you by now" he complained, brushing her hair out of her eyes.<br>"It's not too bad Josh. As long as that pains not there I could lie here all day…I feel a bit dopey."  
>Josh laughed, "You'll feel even dopier after they sedate you to put it back in."<br>Grace went slightly green at the thought, "Ok let's not talk about that bit."  
>"You'll be ok" he promised. "I'm sure they get it all the time. If they were worried you would have already been for x-rays."<br>"Yep" she nodded. "You don't have to stay. Mum will be here soon and you probably don't want to be around for that. She'll be pissed off I couldn't control my fall."  
>"Grace…it was an accident. I'll just stay until the doctor comes and then I'll leave you to it if you're ok."<br>"Thanks Josh" she smiled lying back and closing her eyes again.  
>"Get some rest" he smiled giving her hand a squeeze, staying with her until the doctor came over.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Sunday<strong>

"Sooo what's going on between you and Josh?" Alana asked, announcing her arrival as she walked into the hospital room the following day.  
>"What?" she groaned sitting up. "Nice to see you too. I'm feeling much better, thanks."<br>"That's good. So?"  
>"So nothing. Don't be ridiculous."<br>"It didn't look like nothing yesterday. You two looked pretty close." Alana shutting her mouth as the toilet flushed and Graces mother came out of the en-suite.  
>"Mrs Reid….hi"<br>"Who's Josh Gracie?" her mother asked, not acknowledging the short brunette.  
>"Her boyfriend" Alana teased, shutting up as Grace shot her a look.<br>"He's the friend I've been training with for states."  
>"And what was he doing at your netball game?"<br>"Watching. He had footy in the morning and came to watch when he finished."  
>"What about Conor?"<br>Grace sighed. "Mum, Conor and I broke up. You know that."  
>"I called him earlier, he's going to drop in later. Maybe now that you're going to have more time on your hands you two can sort it out." Mrs Reid didn't know the finer details of the break up but knew that Grace was the one who had called it off and she'd guessed that her daughters busy schedule was part of the reason.<br>"Mum, no. Ok, I don't want to see him!" she groaned in frustration.  
>"But you want to see this Josh?"<br>"I'd prefer to see him over Conor, yes! Can you go and get a coffee or something please?" She snapped getting frustrated at her.  
>Mrs Reid nodded grabbing her bag. "I should go get you some more things from home. I won't be long."<br>Grace nodded waiting until she left before turning to Alana "Thanks for that."  
>"I'm sorry Gracie, I didn't know she was there." Her eyes lit back up again. "Soooo?" she quizzed.<br>"You're crazy. There's nothing going on between Josh & I."  
>"He kissed you. In front of everyone!"<br>"He did not" she shook her head.  
>"Yeah on your head. You looked pretty cosy too. You were all cuddled up in his arms; it would have been cute if you weren't whimpering in pain."<br>"That's right Alana. I was in pain. He was looking after me. You're being ridiculous."  
>"Whatever. I know what I saw."<br>"Give it a rest" she whinged.  
>"Ok ok. So…what are you going to do if Conor does come?"<br>"I don't know. I wish he wouldn't."  
>"Would you get back with him? You said it yourself; you broke up with him over this netball thing. You could be out for months Grace, plenty of time to patch things up."<br>"I don't want to 'patch things up' Alana."  
>"Why not. He's pretty cute Grace, he's loaded and he absolutely dotes on you."<br>"I know that but… it's like having another parent. Josh reckons…" trailing off when she saw the look on Alana's face. "Don't." she warned, half a smile playing on her lips.  
>"No…Josh reckons what?" she laughed. "You spoke to him about Conor?"<br>"Yeah I did."  
>"And what did Josh have to say?" she teased.<br>"He reckons he's boring. That he's going to stop me doing things that I want because he wants to train me up as wife material."  
>Alana laughed. "Did he actually say that?"<br>"Basically" she nodded.  
>"Grace you're so naïve. He's telling you that because he wants you."<br>"No he's telling me that because that's what he does. He calls it as he sees it."  
>"And you're into him or else you wouldn't believe a word of it! As if Conor would be thinking about marriage Gracie. You're 15 he's 17…wayyy too young to be getting married."<br>"Would it matter if I was into Josh? It's beside the point. I enjoy his company, it doesn't mean I want to go out with him; or that he wants to go out with me. We're mates and it's working for us. Please don't start spreading rumours about this that are going to make things awkward for us."  
>Alana nodded. "Alright. I'll shut up ... but he is pretty hot so if you did want to go there; I'd approve."<br>Grace laughed. "Can we please talk about something else? Like you keeping your mouth shut when my mums around."

Alana stayed for an hour, the two girls talking non-stop, first about the netball match then about the various pieces of gossip that were going around the school. They were in the middle of talking about a year twelve student's rumoured plastic surgery when Graces phone went off. She smiled as she read the text from Josh.  
><em>'Went to visit you this morning and the nurse said you'd been transferred. You ok?'<em>  
>She quickly messaged back.<br>'_Yeah I'm at the private hospital. Looks like I'm up for surgery I'm a bit broken but I think I might just live.'  
>'You up for a visitor?'<br>'Alana's here at the moment. Come in though. I'd like to see you'  
>'OK I'll drop in soon. Try and behave.'<br>_Alana groaned as Grace put the phone down. "I don't need to ask who that was. You've got that grin."  
>"Shut up. He was just checking where I was."<br>"Because he wants to see you…kiss it better?"  
>Grace threw a pillow at her. "I'm gonna kill you if you don't quit it. Yes he's coming in. Which means you're leaving."<br>"No way! You're throwing me out for a boy!" she laughed pretending to be insulted.  
>"No I'm throwing you out cause you're a pest."<br>"When's he coming?"  
>"He'll drop in later."<br>"Can I wait."  
>"If you must" she laughed.<p>

Graces mother returned half an hour later with a bag full of pyjamas and toiletries for her. Grace smiled "Thank you" setting the bag to the side.  
>"Alana, you'll collect Graces homework from school won't you? I know she wouldn't want to fall behind" her mother laughed.<br>Grace groaned "Noooo I'm too sick." She tried with a laugh.  
>"Grace you are going to be so bored by tomorrow afternoon you're going to be excited to have homework" her mother reminded her.<br>"Unlikely..."  
>"Alana will be at school and your father and I will be at work."<br>" Peace and quiet!" she joked. "Or not" seeing her mother's face. "That'd be good, thanks Alana."  
>Her mother shook her head. "You should head home Alana. Grace needs to rest."<br>Alana looked at Grace and then nodded. "Ok. I'll bring your stuff in after school tomorrow."  
>"Thanks. I'll see you then."<br>Grace turning to her mother as she left, "Thanks for the bag."  
>She smiled and sat down where Alana had been sitting. "I put your laptop in the bag as well, and a couple of folders off your desk. I mean it Grace, you might be off for a couple of weeks but you have exams coming up. I don't want you falling behind."<br>"I'm not going to fall behind Mum."  
>"Good girl. Gracie…I spoke to Conor."<br>"Mum no. Please. You need to let this go. I know you want this to work out but that doesn't mean that I do."  
>"Of course you do Grace. He's a wonderful young man. You'd be hard pressed to find someone better than him."<br>"I'm fifteen! I don't want serious Mum I want to have fun. I go to school, I work, I play sport Mum I don't have time for a serious boyfriend. I don't want one."  
>"Except for this Josh fellow?"<br>"Josh and I are just friends Mum!"  
>"Alana said he kissed you" she raised her eyebrows.<br>"He didn't."  
>"Don't lie to me Grace Louise."<br>She groaned. "Even if he did, what does it matter? I'm not with Conor anymore Mum. Can you please just go? I'm tired."  
>"Don't play games with me Grace. Conor is hurt. You owe it to him to at least give this another go… Just think about it."<br>"Yep. Ok whatever I'll think about it." She brushed her off. "Bye Mum."  
>She shook her head. "You can be so stubborn baby girl" kissing her forehead. "I just want the best for you."<br>"I know Mum, but maybe Conor's not that."  
>"We'll see" she dismissed. "I'll drop in in the morning before work."<br>"OK. Love you."  
>"Love you too sweetheart. Bye bye."<p>

Grace had just started to doze off twenty minutes later when there was a knock on the door. She opened her eyes to find Conor standing there with a large bunch of flowers and a teddy bear.  
>"Conor" she managed, sitting up properly in the bed.<br>"Gracie" he walked over to her and kissed her on the cheek. "Your mum called, she said you had an accident at netball?"  
>"Yeah I had a clash with Stella. I'm alright."<br>"She said you'll be in for a few days."  
>"Yeah. Con…you shouldn't have done this" gesturing to the flowers as he put them on the bed.<br>"C'mon Gracie I'm sorry for what I said about the netball thing. But it doesn't matter now does it? I mean, you're going to have more time on your plate. We can pick up where we left off, forget about this week."  
>"No" she shook her head. "Conor you're a great guy but this… It isn't going to work. We're too different."<br>"We're not Grace. We can make this work. We've both just got to try a little harder."  
>"Conor we're young. We shouldn't have to try. It should just be easy!"<br>"It's not supposed to be easy Gracie."  
>"Then… maybe I'm not ready for something this serious" she told him seriously. "I just want to have some fun Conor."<br>"You need to grow up Grace. Life isn't just fun and games."  
>"And you'd know that wouldn't you?" She rolled her eyes. "You need to go" she told him annoyed.<br>"Gracie please, just think about this."  
>"It's over Conor."<br>"I'm not giving up on you this easily."  
>"You don't get a choice."<br>"I'll come and see you tomorrow, I finish at midday."  
>"I'm not going to change my mind" she told him softly. "You'd be wasting your time."<br>"I'll still be here" he told her kissing her cheek. "Get some rest, you look pale."

Grace sighed when he left, laying back down exhausted, the last twenty four hours really starting to wear her down. When she opened her eyes in what she thought was a few minutes later she felt a hand holding hers. Groaning she protested "Seriously I said go away Conor" shaking the hand off hers turning her head to see Josh. "Whoops… Hi. When did you get here?"  
>Josh grinned. "About an hour ago. You know you snore?"<br>"It's the drugs they've got me on."  
>He laughed. "I'm sure it is. How you doing?"<br>She yawned, sitting up in the bed against the pillows. "I feel like I've run a marathon and forgotten to stretch."  
>"You got pretty bashed around out there yesterday. For a wussy girly sport that was pretty rough."<br>She shot him a dirty look, very quickly waking up. "If I could walk I'd get up and hit you for that."  
>Josh laughed. "Damn. You ok?" he asked more seriously.<br>"Yeah. They popped the knee back in last night so the pains not so bad now. They're just waiting for the swelling to go down a bit and more than likely they're going to have to operate in a couple of days just to tighten everything up in there" she explained.  
>"I'm sorry Grace."<br>"It's not your fault. I don't think I can even really blame Stella. It's just one of those things. An accident I guess."  
>"How long you out for?"<br>"They're not really telling me anything. I think Mum's told them I'm stupid or something but they'll know more when the swelling goes down and can take a closer look. I looked it up on my phone last night though and it seems to be anywhere between six weeks and four months."  
>"That's a long time. What are you going to do?"<br>"Physio, exams…probably work more. Might even show up to one of your footy games to heckle you."  
>"You're going to be bored."<br>"Yeah I am. Might have to take up knitting or baking."  
>"Well that would please Conor" he joked, stopping laughing when he noticed her face sour. "The teddy bear's from him then?"<br>She nodded. "And the card, and the flowers."  
>"You alright?" he checked.<br>"Yeah. I've copped it from Mum & from him today. I think they're both happy I'm injured. They have no idea what it all means to me, they just think it's great that I'll have more spare time that I can use to work on fixing our relationship!" Grace looked at him tears in her eyes.  
>Josh got up from the chair sitting on the side of her bed. "You don't have to worry about you and Conor today Gracie. You just need to worry about you" he reassured her, taking her hands in his and giving them a squeeze.<br>"I've trained so hard this year Josh and what's it all been for?" She said feeling the tears run down her cheeks. "We have touch finals coming up, there's the State cross country, Netball trials…and now I'm going to be on the sidelines. It's not fair."  
>"No it's not" he agreed moving forward to give her a hug. "It's crap."<br>"It is" she nodded leaning against him and crying. She pulled back after a few minutes. "Sorry... Self-pitying princess moment is over now."  
>He laughed brushing her hair back off her face. "No. There's a difference between your princess tantrums and being genuinely upset" he promised, keeping a hand on her cheek. "You gonna be ok?" he checked.<br>She nodded. "Yep. I've had my cry now. I think it's been hanging just under the surface since yesterday… Which I still haven't thanked you for."  
>"You don't need to thank me."<br>"Yeah I do. I don't remember a lot but I remember you were there and you kept me warm and I'm pretty sure I ended up leaning against you for a while?"  
>"Yeah. You were cold you wanted off the court, lying against me was the best compromise I could come up with."<br>"See I do need to thank you."  
>"I'm just glad you're OK."<br>She nodded. "You helped a lot Josh. I'm really glad you were there. I think I still have your hoodie?"  
>"Yeah probably...I'll get it later."<br>"Be honest Gracie. You're really just set this up so you wouldn't have to race against me at state" he teased, a smile playing on his lips.  
>Grace giving him the finger in response. "I would have kicked your arse."<br>"Unlikely" he gave her hand a squeeze before sitting back.  
>"Hey Josh?" she asked after a few seconds pause.<br>"Yeah?"  
>"I know you're busy too…but do you reckon we could still hang out? I know I can't train with you for a while but maybe I could time you or come watch you play footy or something?"<br>"Yeah…I could even get some movies out, watch them with you while you're sitting on your arse recovering?" he offered.  
>She smiled. "That'd be really good. Might have to be at your place though, my mother's already driving me insane and it's only day one."<br>"What's she doing?"  
>"Does it matter?"<br>"Gracie?" he pushed.  
>"Conor… and you…"<br>"What about me?" he asked surprised. "I don't even know your mother."  
>"Alana was stirring me up this morning" she said feeling herself starting to go red. "Mum overheard and now thinks I broke up with Conor because I want to be with you."<br>"Do ya?" he asked with a grin.  
>"It's not why I broke up with Conor" she replied ignoring his question.<br>Josh grinned dropping it. "Your mum will settle down. But you're welcome at mine too."  
>"Thanks. I might need to avoid the house arrest."<p>

_Sorry it ends here. I figured this chapter was already a little bit long for you all. I'll post some more in the next couple of days. Please let me know what you think and any ideas you may have._


	5. Chapter 5

_What's this? 2 chapters in 2 days? I thought you all deserved one last Easter treat before the long weekend is over. I'll probably go back to a post every few days after this one as whilst I am way ahead now, the fic is not yet complete and I know if I post everything I've done I am going to want to write more. I cannot justify writing anymore until after the 20th April which is when my life should return to some degree of normality._

_Anyway, enjoy this chapter._

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><p>Grace looked up from the book she was reading, surprised to see Josh in his school uniform at ten thirty the following morning. "Ummmm shouldn't you be at school?" she raised her eyebrows unable to hold back a grin.<br>"Spare period?" he tried.  
>"You cut class didn't you?"<br>"Yep" he put a duffle bag on the bed in front of her. "Thought ya might want some company?"  
>"I won't say no, but you should be at school."<br>"You're more fun. "  
>"I know" she laughed. "Doesn't mean you should be here and not there."<br>"Would you like me to leave?" he asked frustrated.  
>She thought for a second and shook her head. "Nope" she replied with a grin. "Stay now. What's in here?" gesturing to the bag.<br>Josh unzipped it, having brought in a laptop and some movies. "Mum said you can keep it until you get out of here. And I stopped by blockbuster and grabbed some…I didn't know what you liked so I got stuff I liked" he laughed. "I think Mum threw in a few chick flicks too."  
>"Thank you. This is great" she sat up properly in the bed so that she could sift through the bag.<br>"How you feeling anyway?"  
>"I feel fine. They're hoping the swelling will go down even more overnight and they'll be able to do the arthroscopy tomorrow. I should get to go home the next day. I'm so bored I've already read half my English novel and finished a history essay this morning."<br>"Nerd" he teased, laughing as she flipped him the bird.  
>"It's a side effect of boredom. How about this one?" holding up an action DVD that Josh had clearly chosen.<br>"You're not gonna make me watch one of Mums?"  
>Grace laughed and shook her head. "Narh this looks like it's going to have enough death and destruction to keep me awake for a couple more hours."<br>Josh stared at her for a moment. "You're hard to pick, you know that? I didn't think you'd be into cool movies. I thought you'd be forcing me to watch Pride and Prejudice. "  
>"Is that in there?" she grinned looking hopeful.<br>"Ah no.." taking the bag off her with a laugh before she could check. "You can watch that tomorrow."  
>"You're no fun" she laughed as he set the laptop up on her lunch table, moving over on the bed for him to sit down.<br>"It's ok Gracie I'll pull a chair up" he told her, seeing her wince as she moved across.  
>"Don't be silly it's fine. You won't be able to see properly from over there with the glare on the screen."<br>He nodded, taking his tie off and shoes off before sitting beside her on the small bed. "Oh one more thing" he laughed jumping back up and digging a bag of popcorn out of his bag passing it to her. "Gotta have popcorn for the movies."  
>She turned to him "You really planned this out didn't you?"<br>"It's better than Math" he shrugged.  
>She laughed leaning forward to press play. Turning to Josh about twenty minutes into the film. "You can actually sit on the bed, you know that right?" she laughed "I'm not going to re-dislocate if you bump my good leg."<br>He nodded moving onto the bed properly, instantly looking more comfortable. "You ok?" he checked.  
>Grace nodded turning back to the movie, grabbing his arm instinctively when she jumped when bullets started flying unexpectedly in the film about half way through. Josh laughed softly moving his hand to rest on top of hers giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. She smiled dropping her head to lean against his shoulder for a minute before sitting back up properly, leaving her hand where it was. They were still in the same position an hour later when the film finished, the final credits rolling when Conor walked into the room with a gift in hand.<p>

"Conor...what are you doing here?" she asked moving her hand from Josh's as she leant forward to press stop on the laptop.  
>"What's he doing here?"<br>She sat back against the pillows again, Josh staying where he was for the moment, planning on staying put until Grace asked him to move. "Visiting."  
>"You dumped me for him?" Conor laughed at the thought.<br>"No I broke up with you because I wanted to?"  
>"So why's he sitting on your bed with you? Why was he at the netball courts when you went down?"<br>"It's not your problem Conor. We broke up" she repeated.  
>"Gracie think about this, don't be stupid, he can't give you what I can."<br>"What's that supposed to mean?" she shot back, her body tensing.  
>"He goes to Bridgeport High Gracie," Conor rolled his eyes in disgust.<br>Grace felt herself firing up, sitting up properly in the bed before turning to Josh. "You're right. I'm sorry Josh. You'll have to leave, Conor's right. You're not a rich little prat so we can't be friends." She glared at Conor, putting her hand on Josh's bicep to stop him from going anywhere. "Is that supposed to impress me? You think flashing money around and driving a fancy car is all you need and I'll be begging for you to take me back and forgive me for being so naïve?" Her voice started to raise as she continued. "You can be a good person without going to a stuck up pretty boys high school Conor. And if you can't get your head around that I'm glad I broke up with you when I did. You need to go. Now!"  
>Conor sighed exasperated. "That's not what I meant Grace. We can talk about…"<br>Grace cut him off. "I know exactly what you meant. Just go ok. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to talk and I don't want to work it out. GO!" she yelled her last word at him, turning to Josh tears running down her cheeks as Conor left. "I'm so sorry… I can't believe he said that. I never knew what a snob he was… I'm really sorry you had to hear that."  
>Josh shook his head putting his arms around her and pulling her tightly against his chest. "I don't give a crap what he thinks of me Gracie. It's not your fault…don't cry. Hey.. Look at me, I'm fine Grace. You're fine too."<br>"No I'm not."  
>He laughed, knowing she was ok, moving a hand up to stroke her hair. "You'll live. Just settle down" he soothed.<p>

She stayed in his embrace for a few more minutes before moving back slightly, Josh loosening his arms so that she could get some space. "You should be running out of here right now. The more we see each other the more crap you're going to get and that's not fair. You're a good person Josh, you're a better person than pretty much everyone else I know, including me, and you don't deserve this bullshit. You should probably go too."  
>He shook his head reaching for her hand. "You know you're my only friend in this place, right?"<br>She shook her head "You've got Michael! And the guys at footy" she argued.  
>"Yeah ok, I've got them, but you're the only one I actually want to spend time with, outside of school or sport or whatever. Grace…I like you. I really like ya. And I know that you just broke up with Conor and you don't want a boyfriend or anything, but I really like ya and I want to spend more time with you. I can handle your friends and family…if you'll let me stick around?"<br>"You like me?" she repeated looking up at him.  
>"A lot" he confirmed, nodding.<br>She felt herself blushing slightly. "Alana was right…" she whispered.  
>"Yeah she was" squeezing her hand gently. "Grace it's OK I know you don't want anything right now."<br>"I did say that, didn't I?"  
>He nodded. "I don't want to lose you as a mate. I like hanging out with ya."<br>Grace shook her head, "No…"  
>"Ok." He replied, letting go of her hand and moving to get up. "I get it. It's awkward now."<br>She reached out, grabbing his arm, Josh stopping where he was. "I didn't say go…" she protested pulling him back so he was sitting beside her again. "I like you too" she told him quietly, her voice just above a whisper. "You're the only person in my life right now who gets me. I can't make any promises…but I like you Josh."  
>He grinned "I'm good with that. So we can still hang out?"<br>"I think we can manage a bit more than that" she smiled back. "If you think you can handle the bad tempered cripple."  
>"You're not as bad as you think you are."<br>"You know 'Gracie you don't have a temper and you're most definitely not a cripple' would probably have been a better response there" she laughed.  
>"Well you're not a cripple…"<br>"But I have a temper…"  
>"Not really…just throw the occasional tantrum…bit of a…"<br>"Princess. I know" she cut him off laughing. "I'm working on it. Well around you anyway."  
>Josh smiled taking her hand again. "So…"<br>"So what?" she smiled back, going shy around him for the first time since they'd met.  
>"I really want to kiss you Gracie."<br>Graces cheeks flushed pink at his brutal honesty. "Ok" she mouthed.  
>"It's not out of line?"<br>She shook her head slightly "I said ok" her voice cracked slightly as she replied.  
>Josh moved his face in closer to hers, Grace following his lead, her arm wrapping around his shoulders, pulling him properly onto the bed and closer to her. She closed her eyes as Josh closed the final gap between them and their lips met briefly. Breaking back slightly they both opened their eyes, Grace smiling sweetly at him before moving back towards him her eyes closing as she pressed her lips harder against his, her hand moving up from his shoulder and around his neck to keep him close. Josh's lips moved against hers hungrily, the salt which had coated the popcorn tasting almost sweet coming from her lips. The two broke apart when they heard the clearing of a throat beside them. Grace moving back slowly, still keeping her hand on Josh's neck as she turned to see her nurse standing there looking amused.<br>"Shouldn't you be at school?" she asked Josh, trying not to laugh at the two looking like they had been sprung with their hand in the cookie jar.  
>"Narh… free period" he shrugged moving his hand off Graces arm slowly. "Do you need me up?"<br>She nodded with a smile "Just for a minute. How's your knee Grace? Anymore pain?" she asked as Josh got up.  
>"It's not too bad" she smiled still watching Josh.<br>"Two minutes Grace and you can get back to him. First give me a look at this leg of yours" the nurse laughed.  
>"Yeah yeah" she turned her attention back to the nurse pulling the sheet up. "I think it's gone down again."<br>The nurse had a good look at it. "Maybe slightly, but not much. You sure you don't need anything for the pain?"  
>"Only when Mum gets here...gets slightly more painful once she starts" Grace smiled. "I'm fine."<br>"Alright. Buzz if it does get worse…and try to rest."  
>She nodded "Thank you" smiling as she left the room turning back to Josh. "Sorry" moving back over for him.<br>"I'm just relieved it was her and not ya mum" he replied standing awkwardly beside the bed still.  
>"That makes two of us. You can sit down. I promise I won't kiss you again."<br>He laughed sitting back down beside her "I'd let ya…if you wanted to that is."  
>She grinned reaching out and grabbing his chin, turning his face back towards her leaning in and kissing him softly, their lips only connecting for a few seconds before moving back smiling. "Whoops I broke my first promise to you."<br>"I reckon I can forgive you" he grinned, still amazed at the events of the last ten minutes, the taste of Grace's lips taking over his senses.  
>"There is one rule here Josh" she threw in, as she reached out for his hand.<br>"Rules! Excuse me? You're not in charge her princess" he laughed. "What is it?"  
>"Just because I'm stuck here on my arse doesn't mean you get out of training. States are in two weeks, you have to go for a run this afternoon…six days a week Josh. You're not gonna lose this because I'm out."<br>"That's…fair enough" he agreed. "I accept your not so stupid rule" he smiled slipping his arm around her shoulders and giving her a gentle squeeze.

The two were still on Grace's bed watching another movie when Alana arrived after school four hours later. Josh was on top of the covers and had his arm around Grace who was leaning almost completely against his chest, her eyes half closed looking very relaxed in position. Their hands were out of sight but it was clear that they were holding hands with their spare hands underneath the covers.  
>Alana grinned as she entered, "I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" she squealed in excitement.<br>Grace let out a groan sitting up to press pause on the laptop before leaning back against Josh. "What?"  
>"The two of you! Hey you lied to me!" she shot at Grace still bouncing up and down.<br>"No I didn't" Grace insisted.  
>"So this" she gestured to the two of them "is new?"<br>Grace nodded in response, "Very."  
>"I knew it! You were way too close at the netball and the kiss…"<br>Josh interrupted with a groan, kissing the top of Graces head. "Now's where I leave" getting up carefully so that Grace didn't fall back as he moved. "I don't want to hear the replay."  
>Grace grabbed his hand pulling him back towards her and kissing his cheek quickly. "I'll call you tonight?"<br>"That'd be good" he grinned at her "good luck with this one."  
>Alana scoffed "Excuse me? Luck!"<br>Grace laughed "He does have a point. Thanks for today Josh."  
>"I'll see you tomorrow" he said leaving her to it.<br>Josh was barely out of the room when Alana started again. "You two are soooooooo cute" she cooed, jumping onto the bed where Josh had been.  
>Grace winced at the sudden movement "Gentle. This hospital thing…it's not just for show, yeah? I'm still broken."<br>"Sorry" she apologised quickly. "So?"  
>Grace laughed "You're not getting details."<br>"WHAT? Gracie! We always share. C'mon."  
>"No. Not this time."<br>"Just a few little details?" she pleaded.  
>Grace smiled relenting. "Ok. So he cut school this morning and came to see me…"<br>"He's been here all day?" Alana interrupted.  
>"Do you want to hear this or not?" she checked, laughing as Alana shut her mouth again. "Anyway we watched a movie and then Conor arrived."<br>"Conor turned up? Shit. Did you two get caught out?"  
>"No. We were just watching the movie. But he was pretty pissed off. He didn't stay long…I kind of yelled at him when he started paying Josh out" she admitted with a blush. "And then Josh and I got talking…and then kissing and yeah, then we put the next movie on."<br>Alana grinned. "So you're an item?"  
>"I dunno. I think so. He's wonderful Alana" she smiled.<br>"He's hot!"  
>"He is!"<br>"What's your Mum going to say?"  
>"She's going to hate it" Grace shrugged.<br>"Conor's probably already told her if he saw you two together today."  
>"Yeah, I know. And she already thinks I've been kissing him for weeks… I don't actually care what she thinks. Not this time. I really like him."<br>"That's good Gracie…. So can I tell the girls? They're dying to know all about him, I know I'm going to be flooded with questions at training tomorrow."  
>"It's none of their business Alana. Please don't say anything. He's just a friend until we sort it out and decide otherwise."<br>"A hot friend who kisses your hair, your lips AND he has a LICENSE… I'm so jealous. Why aren't any of the older, cute boys interested in me?"  
>"Cause you talk too much" she teased.<br>"That's mean. You suck."  
>Grace laughed "I'm only teasing, it'll happen. Who knows, Josh could have a friend I could set you up with."<br>Alana rolled her eyes. "The twins will love him."  
>"You don't know my brothers very well."<br>"They hated Conor. Called him all sorts of names."  
>"Yeah and they'll hate Josh too. They don't like the idea of their little sister kissing boys. "<br>Alana laughed. "Yeah ok you might have a point."  
>"Well they're all gonna have to get used to it because I'm not budging on this one. I really like him Alana," she smiled happily. "And despite what Mum says I know he's good for me."<p>

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><p><em>Thanks heaps for the feedback, I read and appreciate every word. <em>I hope this one has put some smiles on a few faces. This chapter is probably my favourite that I have posted this far...but what can I say. I am a sucker for this pairing. What do you think? <em>_

_As for whether or not Grace makes it to the carnival, you'll have to wait and see... It's not that far away._


	6. Chapter 6

_Well Happy Thursday to you all! _

_You can thank Cheers Big Ears for this chapter. I am completely snowed under with work at the moment and you weren't going to get a chapter today until I got a very nice PM from them asking me to post some more...and fic is so much more interesting then work. _

_I hope your weeks have been slightly less hectic then mine has._

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><p>It was nearly nine o'clock before Grace had a chance to call Josh, having had a steady stream of visitors all through the afternoon and early evening. She smiled to herself as Josh picked up on the forth ring.<br>"Josh" he answered laughter ringing out in the room around him.  
>"Is that your girlllllfrienddddd?" the voice in the background called out.<br>"Piss off" he grunted. "Sorry Gracie give me a second" Josh apologised leaving the room and shutting the door behind him. "Sorry about that. That was my dickhead brother."  
>Grace laughed "Don't apologise…he sounds like the perfect match for Alana."<br>Josh laughed sitting down on his bed. "The rats been giving me crap since I came home grinning this afternoon."  
>"I tend to have that effect on guys" she teased. "I didn't know you had a brother."<br>"Yeah. Matt, he's not much younger than you. There's a lot you don't know about me."  
>"Well I'll just have to drag it out of you over the next few weeks, won't I?" she laughed.<br>"Guess you will. How'd your visitors go?"  
>"Mmmm next question?"<br>"That bad?" he asked, concerned.  
>"Not really. Mum has the shits at me for 'lying around watching movies all day', I'm pretty sure Conor called her and told her you'd brainwashed me or something. I told her to mind her own business and one of the twins stepped in and distracted her for a while before we managed to have a full on argument. Everyone was in at some point tonight so it kept things civil. "<br>"That's good. Did you see the doctor?"  
>"Yeah I did. They've put me on the list for tomorrow morning. So I should be home Wednesday or Thursday."<br>"That's great Grace."  
>"Yeah it is…Josh?"<br>"Yeah?"  
>"You've gotta go to school tomorrow OK. There's no point you wagging to come sit around the hospital."<br>"You don't want me there?"  
>"Yeah I do but I don't want you getting in trouble. By the time I'm out of recovery and back in my room you'll be finished school and can come visit then?"<br>"I'd rather be there with ya."  
>"I know. But I won't be in the room anyway so you might as well be at school."<br>"Yeah yeah…I'll be in after school though."  
>"Good. I'll want to see you by then."<p>

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><p>Grace was dozing in bed, Leisha sitting beside her reading a book when Josh arrived about two thirty the following afternoon. She smiled as he stood staring at Grace from the door, unsure whether or not to enter the room. "You must be Josh?" she checked. "You can come in. She's just napping, she's already woken up and she's fine" she reassured him.<br>Josh nodded at her and entered the room pulling a chair up beside the bed. "You've got to be Leisha?"  
>"Yeah" she smiled. "Grace is right, you are very hot."<br>Grace groaned as she woke up. "Leisha!" she told her off "Don't embarrass me."  
>Josh grinned as she woke, leaning over to kiss her on the cheek, gently taking her hand with the cannula in it. "Hi" he greeted.<br>"Hey you…. Sorry about her."  
>Leisha laughed "You don't have to apologise to him idiot. He doesn't care!"<br>Josh shook his head "She's right...I don't. Just glad you're ok."  
>"I'm fine."<br>"Do you need anything?"  
>She looked at Leisha and then back at Josh and shook her head. "Could really do with a run?"<br>Leisha rolled her eyes at Josh "I have no idea where you get that drive from Gracie Lou. Must be adopted."  
>Grace pulled a face "Don't you need to go and get a coffee or go to the bathroom or something?"<br>"Ahhh is that a hint little sis?" Leisha queried stirring her up.  
>"Yes" laughing as Leisha got up and left. "Take your time."<br>Josh pulled his chair closer as the door closed behind Leisha. "What did you want?"  
>"A cuddle?" moving over so that he could get up on the bed.<br>Josh grinned getting on the bed besides her hugging her gently. "You're such a sook."  
>"Mmmm" she leant into him. "Don't tell anyone."<br>He kissed the top of her head. "How you feeling?"  
>"Pretty wiped out" she admitted, pulling his arm around to rest on her stomach so that she was more comfortable. "You're here early."<br>"I cut Math. I phoned the hospital and they said you were back on the ward…there wasn't much point staying after that."  
>She smiled "I'm glad you're here."<br>"Me too. You're exhausted. You should get some more sleep. I'm in no rush."  
>"You don't have to stay."<br>"I want to. Go on" he brushed her hair back out of her eyes. "Go to sleep."  
>It didn't take long for Grace to drift back off to sleep, Josh still on the bed holding her when Leisha came back in half an hour later.<br>"Oh good. She's exhausted" she smiled seeing her asleep.  
>Josh nodded "She fell asleep about five minutes after you left. I can go, if you like?"<br>Leisha shook her head "Narh you're fine. She's better off asleep and you both look pretty comfortable."  
>He smiled "Yeah."<br>"The rest of the family will be here soon. She'd understand if you wanted to take off."  
>"Can't avoid them forever."<br>"That's brave."  
>"I'd rather your Mum have a go at me tonight then her. Not when she's already feeling like crap."<br>"You're pretty serious about her then?"  
>"I've never met a girl like her" he admitted with a grin. "We haven't really spoken about it, but yeah… I'm pretty serious. But she's just broken up with Conor and now this…she's got a lot going on. I think she needs a mate with a few extra hugs for a while yet. I guess we just see what happens."<br>"You're good for her" Leisha observed. "Gracie…she's been wrapped in cotton wool all her life, she's the youngest… sure she's bloody stubborn and doesn't think she's doing what she's told to do but she's been conditioned since she was little to marry the perfect man and follow in Mums footsteps. I was always too feral…so they worked on her."  
>"And set her up with Conor?"<br>"Yeah. He's a nice guy, don't get me wrong but he absolutely crushes her personality. And God he spoilt her, she was pretty good with it but she's surrounded by rich stuck up friends at school and then being showered with expensive presents by a boyfriend at fifteen…it was only a matter of time before she became like Mum."  
>"And that's bad?"<br>"Not necessarily…but It's not her either."  
>Josh nodded. "She just needs time to work out who she is; without being told by someone else."<br>"Are you sure you're only sixteen?" Leisha laughed at Josh's insight.  
>"Just turned seventeen. I'm in the same year as Conor and Chris but at the public school."<br>"Even so…"  
>Josh smiled as Grace stirred cuddling up closer to him. "God she's beautiful."<br>Leisha smiled "Yeah she is." She looked up when she heard her mother's voice. "Hold that thought, Mum's here."  
>He nodded pulling the covers up over Grace more worried about how her family would react than he dared to let on.<br>Mrs Reid looked him up and down as she walked into the room, looking at his untucked shirt, his school tie half undone, the knot closer to his chest then his neck and finally to where his hand rested on her daughter's stomach, Graces hand entwined in his. "Do you think that's an appropriate way to treat a fifteen year old?" She asked sharply. "Lying in bed with her, touching her like that?"  
>"Mum!" Leisha gasped in shock.<br>"Well, do you?" she pressed, ignoring her eldest child and looking back at Josh for an answer.  
>"Mrs Reid, I'm Josh, I'm a friend of Graces."<br>"I know exactly who you are. And that doesn't answer my question."  
>"I think that Grace is in pain, that she feels miserable after her operation and that if this is what she wants to do to get some rest then we really should be letting Grace do what Grace wants."<br>"I think I know my daughters needs better than you do. You should go. She needs to rest."  
>"Mum, she is resting!" Leisha raised her voice exasperated.<br>Josh shook his head turning back to Leisha "I don't want to cause any trouble. I'll go. Can you tell her I'll give her a call tonight?"  
>Leisha nodded, scowling at her mother.<br>Josh started to climb off the bed gently, Grace grabbing at his shirt instinctively, Josh reaching out to pry her fingers off him carefully, sliding his body slowly out from under her.  
>"Where are you going?" she whispered waking up slowly.<br>"He's going home Grace" her mother interrupted.  
>Grace was fully alert at the sound of her voice, grabbing Josh's hand and holding it firmly, keeping him sitting on the bed.<br>"Josh is welcome to stay as long as he wants Mum."  
>"You've just had surgery Grace, you need some quiet time with your family."<br>"No I'm having quiet time with my boyfriend." She snapped. "Well I was. Just go away."  
>Josh gently stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "It's OK Gracie, I'll go. I'll come back in the morning and you can give me a call whenever you want."<br>"I'm sorry" she whispered tears in her eyes.  
>"It's OK. You just get as much sleep as you need." He leant in closer to her and kissed her softly. "I'll come in before school tomorrow" he whispered giving her one last brief hug.<br>Grace nodded still upset but letting go of his hand. Josh leaving the room quickly not wanting to drag things out.  
>"Mum that was rude" Leisha snapped at her. "He's a nice guy."<br>"He's too old for you Grace."  
>"Conor was older." Leisha argued.<br>"And Conor respected that Grace is younger. He told me about Josh giving you beer at a party and then I walk in to see the boy with his arms around you like that."  
>Grace scoffed "I don't suppose Conor ever told you what we used to get up to in his car then?"<br>Mrs Reid shook her head "It's different Grace. Conor respects you. You don't know what you're getting with Josh. He's trouble."  
>"Mum I meant what I said before. I want you to go. I'm sore and I'm tired and I don't want this shit right now. If I want to go out with Josh instead of Conor then it's my choice. Not yours or Conors' or anyone else's! I'm not going to listen to this. Either shut up or go home."<br>"Don't talk to me like that Grace Louise!" she told her off. "I don't care how unwell you are that's unacceptable."  
>"Just go Mum. You can't tell me not to be rude after you've just insulted my boyfriend. It doesn't work that way."<br>"Watch your mouth Grace or you'll find yourself grounded."  
>"Go ahead, not like I can do anything at the moment anyway" she shot back.<br>"Mum…she's just come out of surgery, she's sore and she's tired. Tonight's not the night to pick a fight. Let her win, just sit down and be quiet if you're staying" Leisha intervened annoyed. "Grace, shut up too before you get into shit."

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><p>Grace was sitting up in bed eating breakfast the following morning when Josh popped his head in. "Good Morning" she grinned looking a lot brighter than she had the afternoon before. "I don't think I've ever seen that tie up so high" gesturing to his tie which was done up properly for once.<br>He laughed going in "I wasn't sure if you'd still have company…thought I should make an effort. You look a lot better" he stole a bit of bacon off her plate and kissed her cheek.  
>"Yeah I feel it. The physio's coming in some time this morning to fit me for crutches and give me some exercises but I should be able to go home today."<br>"That's great!" he pulled a chair up to the side of her bed. "So by Saturday…you're going to be pretty sick of being inside?"  
>"I already am!"<br>"Well how about you let me take you out?"  
>"On a date?" she smiled at him.<br>"Yeah."  
>"With you?"<br>"I'm not gonna beg ya" he laughed at her dragging it out.  
>"I suppose I could fit you in."<br>"In you're busy schedule?" he grinned.  
>"Shut up. I'll have you know my plans are extensive for the next few days."<br>"I'm sure they are. So you'll let me take you out?"  
>"I'd love to Josh" she smiled.<br>"Good. I'll make it crutch friendly."  
>She grinned. "I'll look forward to it."<p>

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><p><em>Once again thank you for reading and please review if you get the chance as I would love to know what people think. It will be getting darker in the next few chapters but if there is anything you'd like to see happening just let me know. Any suggestions on how to end it would also be appreciated...not that it is happening anytime soon.<em>


	7. Chapter 7

Well Cheers Big Ears this one is once again for you for forcing me to think outside of my insane assignment driven world for ten minutes to edit and post this one :)

I am sorry for the delay at posting this one. I normally try to post at least 2 posts a week but I think this week you will only get one...although if I have my way I will have time to fix up chapter 8 on Sunday afternoon.

Thank you once again to all who have reviewed. It's great to know people are actually reading :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

Josh didn't have much contact with Grace for the next couple of days apart from text messages, calling her on the Friday afternoon after school finished.  
>Grace picked up on the second ring "Hey Josh."<br>Josh laughed "Hey Gracie. That was quick."  
>"I'm sooooo bored. I was going to call you."<br>"Ahhh so if I suggested doing something tonight?"  
>"I'll let you beat me in every race forevermore!" she laughed. "You can come over if you like?"<br>"I can possibly beat that offer?"  
>"Not hard I'm sure…go on."<br>"I got some freebies to the footy today. Do you think you can handle it? I'll help you with the stairs."  
>"I'm in. I'll scoot on my butt if I have to. I just want to get out!"<br>Josh laughed. "OK thought you might be interested. There's a few others going, is that ok?"  
>"Of course it is."<br>"Great. I'm about to drive home so I can either pick you up now or come back out about five?"  
>"If you come and get me now I'll be gone before Mum gets home?"<br>"I like the way you think. Can you be ready that quick?"  
>"No but you can still come over, I won't take long."<br>"I don't believe that but OK. I'll be there soon."  
>Grace hung up and hobbled into the bathroom in the shower when Josh arrived, Leisha letting him in showing him up to her bedroom to wait. Finished in the shower Grace hopped back into the room in just a denim skirt and a bra, going bright red when she realised Josh was in her bedroom. "Josh…when did you get here?" Looking around for something to throw on quickly.<br>Josh grinned, obviously checking her out. "Um not long.."  
>"Oi…my face is up here." She laughed throwing a t-shirt on going to sit on his knee.<br>He laughed wrapping his arms around her waist. "You're hot, you know that?"  
>"Mmm and you're hopeless" she kissed him quickly before getting back up. "I'll be about ten minutes." She told him quickly straightening her hair, putting some makeup on and changing her top and putting a jacket on over the top. "I'm going to freeze" looking down at her skirt "But the only other thing I can get over this stupid brace is tracksuit pants."<br>"So wear tracksuit pants Gracie."  
>She shook her head and thought for a second before going to her wardrobe. "Turn around" she told him, quickly changing when he did. "Ok all good" she let him know, having changed into a maxi dress with a cardigan over the top.<br>Josh grinned. "All done princess?"  
>"Shut up. I want to look good for our first…whatever this is" Hitting him lightly with her bag. "C'mon. Leish… we're going to the footy. It might be a late night but Josh'll drop me home."<br>"Have fun" she called out from her room. "Don't fall over on those things."  
>"You're not funny" she yelled back going slowly down the stairs shaking her head at Josh as he tried to help. "I've got it. Thanks."<br>Getting into Josh's beat up old car Grace grinned. "I've escaped."  
>He laughed. "We've got to go back to my place first, Matty's coming as well and a couple of his friends. Is that ok?"<br>"That's fine" trying to adjust the seat, the seat falling right back on her. Grace laughing from her flat on her back position, "Well that could come in handy at a later date". Pushing it back up she put her belt on, winking "I won't try that again."  
>"It's a bit dodgy. Sorry."<br>She laughed. "It's fine. I'll just put my heart back in my chest."  
>He rolled his eyes, reaching for her hand when they turned onto the main road out of town, pulling off to a small property about fifteen minutes from where Grace lived. "I didn't know you lived out here."<br>"We moved from the country…this is tiny compared to what we had but we can keep a few animals here and it's not as cramped as in town."  
>"It's quieter. It's nice."<br>He grinned. "I'll show you around properly when you're no longer crippled."  
>She poked her tongue out following him inside.<br>"Mum I'm home" he yelled out, his mother coming out of the laundry greeting him at the door.  
>"Oh. You must be Grace" she smiled giving her a hug.<br>Grace smiled, hugging her back. "Yeah I am. It's nice to meet you Mrs…" she trailed off when she realised she didn't know Josh's surname.  
>"Joshua" Josh told her.<br>Grace looked at him blankly "Mrs Joshua?"  
>His mother laughed "Brendan! You haven't told your girlfriend that Josh is only a nickname?"<br>"Aww Mum please" he groaned. "She doesn't need to know that."  
>"Your names Brendan Joshua?" Grace asked him confused.<br>Josh nodded "Yeah it is. But only me Mum calls me Brendan! "  
>"And Nanna!" another male voice called entering the living room. "You're the girlfriend right? I'm Matt, Josh's brother."<br>"No shit" she laughed, the two boys very similar. "You're the one in the background the other night?"  
>"That's me." He grinned, proud of his efforts.<br>"Can you both give her a chance to breathe?" Josh shook his head exasperated. "She's not the new family pet. Leave her alone."  
>His mother laughed. "Alright, hint taken. You two go on. Grace, Welcome love. You let me know if he doesn't look after you."<br>"C'mon Gracie" he lead her down to his bedroom before she could reply, Grace throwing an apologetic look at his mother. The walls of his room covered in posters of his footy team, of medals and ribbons he'd won and a Ralph calendar.  
>Grace laughed sitting on his bed while Josh threw his stuff down. "Miss October looks like she's got a pineapple shoved up her…" she trailed off with a sweet smile.<br>"Jealous?"  
>"Not at all. No plastic on me!" she grinned.<br>He laughed pulling his school shirt off and pulling on a t-shirt.  
>"You can have a shower if you want. We've got plenty of time. "<br>"You sure?"  
>"Positive. I'll busy myself snooping."<br>He laughed "I bet you will" pulling his shirt back off.  
>"Or I could just sit here with that image in my head" staring at his chest.<br>"And you tell me off for having a perve?" He walked over to her, standing over her, a coy smile playing on his lips.  
>She nodded dumbly. "It's different. I'm a girl."<br>"Is that right? Girls can look but boys can't?"  
>"Yep" she tried her best to look innocent.<br>Josh looked like he changed his plans at the last second, leaning over and kissing her on the forehead. "Glad you're enjoying. I'm gonna go have a shower. Don't snoop too hard" he teased.

While he was in the shower Josh's mother called out to her "Grace honey, would you like a drink?"  
>Grace got up and followed the voice into the kitchen, leaning on her crutches just near the table. "I'm alright thank you. Josh is just having a shower."<br>His mother smiled "How is your knee? Josh said it's on the mend now?"  
>"Yeah it is. I'll be out for a while but it should be OK long term."<br>"But you miss out on a few things?" she asked sympathetically.  
>"Yeah…. it is disappointing to know I won't be running with him at States in a couple of weeks but I'll be ok long term. I think Josh is planning on keeping me pretty busy so I don't sulk too much"<br>Josh's mother laughed "He likes you a lot, I can tell."  
>Grace felt herself blushing. "I like him too. It's all a bit new at the moment, I'm just getting my head around it all. I think Josh is too."<br>"Maybe, but it's been a long time since I've seen him this happy. He hated it here when we moved. I know you two have been mates for a little while now and I can really see the difference in him. "  
>Grace smiled "I'm glad he's finally setting in."<p>

Getting out of the shower to find Grace missing from his room, Josh followed the voices to the kitchen with just a towel around his waist. "Hey Mum have you seen my jeans?"  
>"Christ Brendan at least put a shirt on, you have company." She scolded. "And they're in the laundry."<br>Josh laughed "Grace doesn't care Mum."  
>Grace just laughed at the whole scene.<br>"I hope she's being nice to you Gracie. Don't let her interrogate you" he added.  
>"I can hold my own, thank you. She's telling me about your bedwetting actually" she laughed.<br>His mother laughed and Josh just shook his head.  
>"You're not funny. C'mon. I don't know who I need to be more worried about."<br>She smiled getting up from where she was sitting at the dining table. "It's lovely to meet you properly Mrs Joshua."  
>"Kate, please" she corrected.<br>Grace nodded, "Kate" she repeated before following him back to his room.  
>Josh was just finishing pulling his jeans on, throwing a shirt over the top.<br>"Your Mum's lovely Josh."  
>He grinned "Yeah she is. You watch her though, she'll try and rope you into coming over for dinner every second night."<br>"I bet she can cook too?"  
>"The best" he nodded.<br>"Then I might just have to accept. Any excuse to spend more time with you" she smiled sitting back on the bed.  
>"Are you tired?" he checked.<br>"Yeah but I'll be fine. This sedentary lifestyles not meant for me. I feel like I'm about eighty years old. I'll get my second wind soon."  
>Josh smiled sitting on the bed beside her pulling her into his arms. "Matt's still gotta have a shower so we've got a while."<br>She turned to face him "Time to kill hey?"  
>"Mmm" leaning in to kiss her waiting lips. "You are something else Grace."<br>She smiled kissing him again breaking apart after a few minutes. "What were you going to do before?" she asked.  
>"Huh?"<br>"Before. When you had your shirt off, you came over to me to do something and then at the last second you kissed me here" pointing to her head.  
>"You picked up on that?" surprised.<br>She nodded at him.  
>"I was going to push you back onto the bed and kiss you. I thought it was probably a bit too full on" he admitted.<br>She smiled moving a hand up to his cheek stroking it gently. "You'd want to do that? You really think about me that way?"  
>"Too much" he admitted. "There's no pressure Grace" he added. "I don't want to push you into anything, you've got a lot going on and Conor..."<br>"Josh…I want to be your girlfriend." She told him decisively, ending his suffering.  
>"Really?"<br>"I thought I'd made it pretty obvious already?"  
>"Yeah but you've had a lot going on this week."<br>"And you've been by my side the whole time. I'm serious Josh, I want to give this a go, if you do."  
>"I do" he answered without hesitation.<br>"But you're right… pushing me onto my back and climbing onto me…maybe a little too full on before we've even had our first official date" she laughed. "But I probably wouldn't have stopped you either so I'm glad you made the call for me."  
>Josh smiled "I will try and restrain myself."<br>"Not completely I hope?"  
>"No, not completely" he laughed.<p>

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><p>It was another half an hour before they left the house for the footy, swinging past a friend of Matts house to pick up two others. Grace was in absolute hysterics at the way the two brothers bounced off each other; she had never heard Josh talk so much and loved that he was so quick on the retorts. Still laughing when they continued stirring each other up once they'd taken their seats.<br>"You two are unbelievable. You stopped making sense about twenty minutes ago and you're still arguing" she laughed to Josh when Matt and his mates went to get food. "The twins do that too."  
>"Yeah we're pretty close" he agreed putting his arm around her shoulders and leaning in to kiss her briefly. "Thanks for agreeing to come with me."<br>"It took a lot of persuasion if I remember correctly." She rolled her eyes kissing him again. "It's so nice to be out of the house…and with you."  
>He smiled watching the game with her, Grace yelling as passionately as Josh was for the entire match, but quickly stopped caring when the match was over.<br>"Is this what you're going to be like when I finally beat you?" she asked with a grin as Josh continued to curse the referee.  
>"He bloody should be playing for the other team."<br>"You won't get any sense out of him for another hour Grace. It's not worth talking to him when he loses." Matt warned her.  
>Grace laughed "That's what you think…" she slipped from her seat into his lap wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning in to whisper in his ear "Cheer up… you're being a princess."<br>"I am not" he started to protest.  
>She kissed him softly just under his ear "Keep sulking and I'll put an embargo on my lips."<br>"What footy?" he smiled.  
>"That's better" she kept her arms around his neck turning to smile at Matt, "See. Magic."<br>Matt shook his head "You're going soft brother."  
>"Pretty sure you're just jealous" Josh laughed, Grace moving back to her seat slowly, her hand remaining in his.<br>"What do you reckon? Maccas run?" one of Matts friends asked.  
>Josh nodded "Sounds good, you in?" he checked with Grace.<br>"Yeah sure. I'm starving."  
>He drove the McDonalds, the five of them sitting around for the next hour or so, Grace astounding Josh with her ability to talk footy and generally be one of the boys. After an hour he slipped his arm around her waist pulling her closer to him.<br>"I never picked you to be big on PDA's" she smiled as his hand rested gently on her knee brace.  
>"Never pictured myself with such a hot girlfriend!"<br>"Oh because you're not a catch at all" she laughed. "Your brother and his mates, they're really nice.  
>"Bit different to your first date with Conor I guess?"<br>"Very" she laughed "I'm having a good time. You sprung it on me so I didn't have time to get nervous…I'm more nervous about tomorrow."  
>"Because it's just us?"<br>She nodded. "With no distractions, no training, no hospital…no Mum"  
>"We'll be right" he shrugged.<br>"Course we will…" she trailed off, looking back over at the counter. "Mattys laughing at us."  
>He shrugged "Don't care."<br>She laughed "He's totally jealous that I'm in your arms and he's not" she teased loud enough for the boys to hear from where they were ordering another sundae.  
>"I am bloody not" Matt scoffed. "He's a bloke."<br>"And he's my brother!" Josh added looking grossed out at her. "Thanks for that image Gracie. It's bloody gross!"  
>She grinned "You're welcome."<p>

Josh dropped the boys home about ten o'clock before driving Grace back out to her place.  
>"You could have dropped me on the way" she smiled.<br>"I know…but I wanted five minutes alone with you" he said pulling up out the front of her house.  
>"Without being mocked for smiling at me?"<br>"Yeah" he smiled turning the ignition off. "So I guess I'll see you tomorrow…about eleven?"  
>Grace nodded reaching up and nervously brushing her hair out of her face, knowing what was coming, leaning over to kiss him before he could make a move, cupping his face with her hands.<br>Josh's hand moved straight up into her hair, kissing her back, sliding closer to her so that Grace wasn't so far over the gearstick. After a couple of minutes Grace pulled back still smiling. "Goodnight Brendan," she whispered.  
>"You've been waiting to use that all night, haven't you?" he grinned, leaning over to kiss her once more briefly before getting out of the car and grabbing her crutches out of the back, giving her a hand out before kissing her one last time, this time on the cheek. "Goodnight Gracie. Sweet dreams."<br>He looked over her shoulder to see her mother watching through the curtains. He gave a small wave causing her to pull her head back in. "Go on. Your mum's waiting up."  
>"I think I prefer us hanging out at your house."<br>"Plenty of time for that," he reassured, kissing her once more "Goodnight."  
>"Night Josh" she smiled going inside, Josh waiting until she was in safely before getting back in the car and driving off.<p>

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><p>As usual, if you have any thoughts please review...I am also wanting to rewrite Chapter 8 which involves Grace and Josh's first official date...so any suggestions you would like to put forwarth please do :)<p>

Night all.


	8. Chapter 8

_Evening All,_

_Well my week of hell is now officially over and I gave myself a few days off from study before I get back into it too heavily. Naturally this means I got sick... so I have been stuck on the lounge and have actually managed to finish this chapter off. This was weird to write, the first date was a scene I had skipped completely when I did this about six months ago as it was awkward and I was never planning on publishing this anyway...so now that I am publishing and I am up to it, it was strange to go back and fill in the blanks when in my mind so much has happened between then and where I am._

_As usual, all comments, feedback and ideas are very much appreciated. _

_Keep smiling :)_

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><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

"Grace if you're too injured to have been at school this week there is no way on earth you should have been out tonight" her mother scolded as soon as she entered the house.  
>"Mum I was sitting down the whole night. And I will be back at school on Monday. I would have been back on Thursday but you made me stay home!"<br>"I don't like it Grace. I want you to stay home and rest for the weekend."  
>"I don't need to rest. Besides, I'm going out tomorrow."<br>"With Josh?" she challenged rolling her eyes.  
>"Yeah, with Josh."<br>"What are you doing?"  
>"I don't know. Probably the movies. I can't do much."<br>"And when does study make it into your plans Grace? You have your finals coming up soon."  
>"I worked all day today and yesterday. I got more done than what I would any other week. My marks are fine Mum."<br>"You got a B in Geography last semester."  
>"Yes I know and I've had A's on every assignment since" she shook her head. "I'm going out with Josh Mum. You can't come up with a reason to stop me because there is NO reason. For God's sake give him a chance. He's a really good guy! I'm going to bed" she started making her way up the stairs slowly.<br>"Grace!"  
>Grace looked back over her shoulder at her, "What?"<br>"The Barry's are coming for lunch on Sunday. I want you home. No arguments."  
>"Is Conor coming?"<br>"I don't know."  
>"Then I don't know if I'm free."<br>"It's not optional Grace."  
>"Fine. But you do anything to set us back up and I will be walking out" she snapped, annoyed, continuing up the stairs to bed.<br>"Whoa what's up your bum?" Andrew asked as she walked past his room.  
>"Mum."<br>"She start about Josh again?" he checked.  
>Grace nodded "As soon as I walked in. She was spying on us through the curtain. Even you've stopped doing that if I go out with a boy."<br>"Yeah she's really got her back up about him. She bitched all through dinner."  
>She shrugged "I don't care. She's gonna have to deal with it."<br>"You really like this one little sis?"  
>"Yeah" she nodded. "I do. Try and be nice when and if you do meet. He's copping enough crap from Mum. She practically accused him of molesting me in hospital."<br>"Well you tell him what I'll do to him if he touches you."  
>Grace laughed "You will bloody not." She argued going in to sit at his desk chair.<br>"Not if he behaves himself."  
>"That would be none of your business" she giggled. "Mum's invited the Barry's over for lunch on Sunday. Will you be around? I don't have a choice apparently and I don't really want to be left alone with Conor."<br>"Yeah I'll be around. See….Josh can't be worse than Conor."  
>"You never liked him, did you?"<br>"Stuck up, suck up…" he started.  
>Grace interrupted him with a laugh "Don't start… You'll get us both in trouble. I think…apart from him potentially touching and kissing your sister…that you're going to get along with Josh. There's no snobbery about him."<br>"You know Gracie, I think you might be a little bias."  
>She grinned "Maybe. Just a little bit. I'm going to head to bed. Got a hot date in the morning. Goodnight."<br>"Night Sis."

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><p>Andrew made sure he opened the door the following morning when Josh knocked. "You'd be Josh?"<br>Josh nodded "Yeah hey."  
>"We need to have a talk… I hear you've been trying it on with my sister."<br>"Mate I…"  
>A pillow hit Andrew square in the head interrupting Josh's sentence. "I knew you'd bloody try something" Grace laughed at Andrew going over to Josh and kissing him on the cheek. "Ignore him. He's messing with you Josh. Mum's at the shops, you can relax."<br>Josh smiled "Hey you" putting an arm around her shoulders "How's the knee after the stairs last night?"  
>"Knee's fine. Josh, this is Andrew one of my three big brothers."<br>Andrew smiled at them both. "And I've told her to tell you what I'll do if you hurt my sister…. HOWEVER she insists it's not necessary because you're one of the good guys…she even seems to think I'm gonna like you."  
>"I reckon Mum's doing enough hating for the whole family" Grace added with a grin.<br>"I won't be hurting her mate" Josh promised.  
>"NOT that I couldn't handle myself if you did" Grace butted in again cheekily. "I reckon I could hold my own."<br>"Not at the moment" Andrew laughed gesturing to her crutches.  
>"I'd get my revenge" she laughed hitting him with one of them in the leg. "Are we going to stand here talking to this loser all day or are we gonna go?" she asked Josh.<br>"Guess we're going. Nice to meet ya Andrew."  
>"Have fun you two" he laughed shutting the door behind them as they left.<p>

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><p>"You look great" Josh grinned, looking at the dress Grace had on as she got into the car.<br>"Thanks. Would have helped if I knew what we were doing today…I figured I could wear a dress because it's not like we're climbing trees with this thing on my leg."  
>He laughed "We're not climbing trees. It's not that exciting….but I didn't think you'd want to sit in a movie theatre again. I thought you'd be sick of them."<br>"True…but I doubt I'd be watching the movie anyway" she grinned.  
>"How's lunch at the gardens sound?" he asked, almost embarrassed. "We don't have to if you think it's dumb…. It was Mum's idea." He admitted.<br>Grace laughed putting her belt on and grabbing his hand "It sounds great Josh. It's a beautiful day…I'd rather be outside than inside."  
>"She even packed a picnic" he cringed. "She made me bring it… we can ditch it and get something else? Or I can take you out somewhere?"<br>"No no…that's good. It means she didn't hate me yesterday" Grace laughed. "Really Josh, a picnic sounds great. A picnic ending with kicking a ball around the park would be more normal but being that I'm not very mobile at the moment, relaxing with you sounds pretty good. Stop apologising for your Mum being so lovely."  
>"I'm pretty sure she wants to adopt you Gracie" he laughed. "She didn't shut up about you last night."<br>"That's good" she laughed "Better reaction than my mother."  
>"Your mother will grow to love me."<br>"She might…." Grace trailed off. "The important thing is that I definitely will" she smiled leaning over to him and kissing his cheek. "C'mon lets go picnic."

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><p>Two hours later and the two were full, Josh's mother having stocked them up with cold meats, bread rolls, salads and a collection of her baked treats. Grace lay back on the blanket so her head was in Josh's lap. "I think I'm going to vomit!"<br>"Weak" he teased his hand moving to start to play with her hair.  
>"I'm going to be fishing for that dinner invite now I know your Mum can cook that well."<br>"You can come whenever. There is always heaps of food."  
>She nodded before yawning, looking up at the sky. "It's gonna rain."<br>"It'll be fine" he dismissed without looking up.  
>"Says the country boy" she laughed rolling her eyes. "This was a good idea Josh. I've missed the fresh air."<br>"I've missed you" he smiled down at her.  
>Grace laughed looking back up at him, "You saw me last night."<br>"Yeah but I had to share you" he smiled, his hand tucking a wisp of hair back behind her ear.  
>"And normally when we train you get me all to yourself?" she smiled. "We weren't even together then."<br>"I still liked ya though" he admitted moving his other arm around her to rest on her hip. "And I liked stirring you up."  
>"I know you did" she laughed. "You're really comfortable to lie on."<br>He leant down kissing her on the forehead. "You're starting to make a habit of it."  
>"I can get up?" she offered quickly, her nerves from the night before resurfacing at his comment.<br>Josh shook his head holding her there. "I didn't say I didn't like it."  
>Grace smiled reaching for his hand holding it in hers. "How's your training going?"<br>"It's alright."  
>"Alright? You're not smashing it?"<br>"Well I've lost my training partner, haven't I?"  
>"Yes you have, but you can train on your own, or drag Michael or Matty out. You managed to do quite well before you met me so you can keep training and kill it without me Josh. I'll be screaming for you from the sidelines so you better give me something to get excited about."<br>"You'll be there?" he asked surprised. "Even though you're not racing?"  
>"I'm going to try to be. You're racing and Alana is too so I want to be there."<br>"That'd be good…" he smiled.  
>"It's only a few days to go...I can time you after school or something if you like?"<br>"You don't have to do that."  
>"Someone's gotta whip your arse into shape" she teased.<br>"Is that right?" he gently moved out from under her, lying down beside her, turning onto his side to face her. "And you're just the girl to do it?"  
>She bit her lip and nodded, rolling on her side and kissing him softly. "I think so."<br>He smiled, pulling her carefully into his arms kissing her back. "That sounds good to me. What about tomorrow?"  
>"Tomorrow sounds good…" she sighed. "But it'll have to be morning… my presence is required at a lunch with the Barry's" she pulled a face.<br>"Conors family?" he asked, looking at her.  
>Grace nodded, "Yeah."<br>"Will he be there?"  
>She sighed. "I really hope not. Mum's set it up so I'm guessing he will be, but I've told Mum that if they try anything to set us back up that I'm walking out, and I've Andrew to stick around and not leave me alone with any of them. Oh, you should come?"<br>"I don't think that's a good idea."  
>Grace nodded in agreement, "Yeah you might be right. I'm sorry. If it helps I don't want to go either."<br>Josh reached out to touch her cheek. "It's ok. Will you be ok?"  
>"I'll be fine. It's just awkward but in my house you get used to awkward….so tomorrow morning? I'll be your coach and number one fan with a stopwatch?" she asked in an effort to change the subject.<br>Josh grinned and nodded "Sounds good. I'll pick you up about nine?"  
>"Mmmm" she reached out to rest her hand on his bicep. "Josh?"<br>"Yeah?"  
>"I ate too much" she laughed.<br>He smiled at her, shaking his head. "So you don't want dessert?"  
>"What? There's more food? I thought we had dessert!" She moved her hand to her stomach protectively.<br>"I saw fruit in there" he shrugged. "I can't believe she packed us a hamper. It's so lame. I'm sorry."  
>"Do I look like I'm having a bad time?" she asked squeezing his arm. "This is the best date I've ever been on."<br>"Really?"  
>"Yes really" she laughed. "I really like you Josh, and I really like being here with you. It's sweet that your Mum cares so much. "<br>"Embarrassing" he laughed.  
>"No it's sweet. My mum would never do this…and if she did we'd get mouldy bread and some off cheese or something" she smiled. "I'm really happy you did this."<br>Josh looked relieved. "It is too corny if I say this is the best date I've ever been on as well?"  
>Grace nodded her response, leaning back in to kiss him again. "Very. Babe…you know how you said it wasn't going to rain?" she whispered against his lips as she felt a large drop on the back of her neck.<br>"I was wrong?" he groaned.  
>"Yep" she laughed, sitting back up to start putting everything back into the basket.<br>Josh laughed, sitting up to help her, picking up the basket and the rug turning to her as the rain started to pour down on them. "You need a hand?"  
>She shook her head grabbing her crutches, getting up slowly. "We heading to the car?"<br>Josh nodded, grabbing her bag for her as they rushed back towards the car, Grace's crutch slipping on the wet grass and falling out from under her, Grace landing flat on her butt before Josh even noticed, let alone him having a chance to catch her.  
>"Shit Grace, are you ok?" he quickly put the basket and rug down crouching down beside her worried.<br>She pouted back at him from where she was sitting in what was fast becoming mud. "Whoops." She took his hand to let him help pull her up, wrapping an arm around his waist as she steadied herself, the rain drenching them both as she did.  
>"Are you alright?" he checked worried.<br>She nodded, starting to laugh. "Yeah just slipped. Landed on my butt, the knees fine."  
>Josh moved to pick her up, Grace shaking her head. "It's ok I'm alright," she laughed. "I might as well just take it slow, I'm drenched anyway."<br>Josh nodded picking the stuff up again keeping close in-case he had to steady her again.  
>By the time they reached the car Grace was in hysterics turning to Josh. "Have you got a towel or something I can put down on the seat?"<br>"Are you sure you're alright? Should I take you to the hospital to get your knee checked out?"  
>"No I'm fine. I just have mud all over my arse and don't want to get it on your seat" she laughed, her hair drenched and the makeup she did have on running down her face. "Still want to kiss this babe?" she laughed.<br>Josh looked up at the sky and back at Grace and shrugged, moving towards her and pulling her into his arms, kissing her firmly. "Yep" he spoke against her lips as she wrapped her own arms around his waist.

By the time they got into the car the two looked like drowned rats, Grace laughing every time Josh even looked in her direction, her hair dripping as she wrung it out with her hands.  
>"Stupid rain" he groaned, shaking his head at her.<br>Grace laughed. "It's kinda funny. Perfect, romantic picnic lunch, the boy kissed the girl and bam….the thunder and lightning starts."  
>"A sign of things to come?" he joked.<br>"Nope. Just funny."  
>"I better get you home, you're soaked."<br>"Yeah I guess so." She pouted, "I had a really good afternoon Josh. Even when you pushed me over."  
>"I didn't push you" he protested, laughing when he realised she was joking. "It doesn't have to end…you can come back to my place if you like? Have a shower there… I'm sure Mum has something you can borrow to wear or I can give you a shirt or something. We could hang out for a while at home?"<br>"Really? That'd be great." Grace jumping at the opportunity to spend more time with him.  
>"Just so you know…Mum will probably try and steal you again" he laughed. "She loved having a girl around yesterday afternoon. And Dad will probably be home as well."<br>"It doesn't worry me if it doesn't worry you" she shrugged.  
>"It definitely doesn't worry me" he grinned driving them back to his place.<p>

It took another forty minutes before they got back to his place and both were dry and showered, Grace being the last one ready, having to blow dry her hair before going out to find Josh again. "Sorry, I'm all done."  
>"Got yourself a princess there Brenno?" his father asked with a laugh as she finally emerged.<br>Grace flushed bright red in embarrassment. "I'm sorry…my hair was soaked."  
>"He's joking love" Kate reassured her with a laugh. "You weren't that long and you look much warmer now than when you both came in."<br>"She can be a bit of a princess" Josh confirmed. "But in her defence she is slightly disabled at the moment so if she takes longer in the bathroom that's fine."  
>Grace laughed. "I wish I could blame the crutches but I can't actually. You're right…I am a princess, but I like dry hair."<br>Josh slipped his arm around her waist "Did you want a drink?"  
>She shook her head "I'm alright thanks."<br>"Well what did you want to do?"  
>"Why don't you two go and play a board game or something? We'll leave you alone" Kate offered.<br>Josh scoffed at the offer. "A board game? Really Mum?" he laughed.  
>"It was just a suggestion. I know there's not a lot Grace can do at the moment."<br>"Let's go to my room?" Josh suggested shaking his head at both of his parents. "They'll have us all playing a family game of Monopoly in a minute."  
>Grace smiled. "You know, having parents who actually want to get to know your girlfriend isn't that bad," she told him as they walked to his bedroom. "I wish my parents would take five minutes to say something to you that's not '<em>Get your hands off my daughter.'<em>" she added.  
>"I can deal with your parents Gracie."<br>"Yeah I know, but it sucks that you have to when yours are so lovely." Grace hobbled over to his bed, sitting down on the side of it, propping her crutches up against the wall.  
>"Your knee's giving you grief again, isn't it?"<br>"It's not too bad" she smiled a little. "Just needs a bit of a rest."  
>"Do you want some pain killers?"<br>She shook her head, "No, I'm ok. I'll just put it up for a bit if that's ok?"  
>"You can lie down if you want?" he offered.<br>"On your bed?" she raised an eyebrow.  
>"All my dreams come true" he laughed, shutting the door and sitting on the bed beside her. "I mean it, if you're hurting lie back."<br>"We could try that whole you climbing on me and kissing me thing after all?" she offered with a teasing smile.  
>Josh shook his head. "I'm not climbing on you while your knees sore."<br>"Stop fussing. It's not that bad." She leant into his side, moving her legs up onto the bed. "I'm tougher than I look. Unfortunately the ligaments in my knee didn't know that, but I am ok, and me falling over today didn't make anything any worse. It's just sore because it's the first day I've really been up and about."  
>He slipped his arm around her. "As long as you're ok."<br>She nodded. "You didn't break me… the whole thing, it was funny Josh."  
>He laughed kissing her briefly and then pulling back cautiously. "Good….no thunder this time."<br>"Definitely not" she grinned kissing him back.

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 9 should appear in the next couple of days. If these chapters are too big or too frequent or just plain boring, please let me know.<em>


	9. Chapter 9

**Good Evening All,**

**This was another of those chapters that I didn't complete months ago. I'd put a few cute moments down but hadn't actually strung it all together so I apologise that it has taken me just under a week to get it to you. I am not sure how quick the next will be; if I leave it as it is then it's all set to go but I am now thinking I need to add another scene in between so it'll either be posted mid week or next weekend.**

**I hope you've all had a lovely weekend and I hope you enjoy.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9<strong>

Grace rang Josh after school on the following Monday, her first day back at school since her accident. "So, I nearly stacked it on the stairs on my crutches this morning…turns out maybe you didn't push me over in the gardens" she laughed as he picked up.  
>"You what? Are you alright?" he asked concerned.<br>"Yeah yeah I'm fine, Michelle caught me. Who knew how hard it was to rush to class on crutches" she laughed.  
>"Did you want me to pick you up from school?" he offered.<br>"Narh I'm on the bus now. The day seems short without training at the end."  
>"Enjoy the break. I'm about to get changed and go for a run."<br>"Good on you. That's what I rang about …this Friday…the school said I can't go if I'm not participating. They said I missed enough school being off last week and that I have to catch up. I'm sorry."  
>"What? That's bullshit. You earned your place there Gracie. Haven't you already paid for the accommodation?"<br>"Yeah and I can't race so that place has gone to someone else. I'm sorry, I would have liked to have been there to get you over the finish line but I know you'll kill it anyway. I'll make Alana cheer for you."  
>"It's not your fault. It just sucks they won't let ya go" he complained.<br>"I know. When do you leave?"  
>"We're going Thursday after school, we're staying at the motel the night before."<br>"Ok, well how about I come watch you train Wednesday afternoon?"  
>"Will that be training how we trained yesterday?" he laughed, referring to their training session the day before which lasted about twenty minutes before Josh couldn't help himself and joined Grace on the grass.<br>"Mmmm yesterday's training was goodddd" she grinned at the thought. "But no. Wednesday I will scream at you if you come near me and won't let myself distract you one little bit."  
>"Like you can help it" he laughed.<br>"Are you better off training without me?" she asked.  
>"Probably…but I'd rather you were there. Motivation; If I train for an hour then I can let you distract me."<br>"Not a chance baby. You'll be training 'til midnight with me as a coach" she laughed.  
>"Good luck with enforcing that" he grinned. "I better go, I'll give you a call tonight?"<br>"Sure. Have a good run. Bye."  
>"See ya Grace."<br>Grace turned to Alana on the bus with a grin. "Got him."  
>"You're such a bitch" Alana laughed.<br>"It'll be worth it" she laughed back.  
>"You won't last. You'll cave."<br>"I will not."  
>"You couldn't wait to call him. It's not even been a week but the two of you sound like you've been going out for a lifetime. As if you can hold off telling him for a whole week."<br>"I can so. And it feels like we've been going out for a lifetime. It's been, what, three days officially? It's just so easy to be around him. I feel like I have known him forever." Grace grinned stupidly.  
>"So what happened yesterday?" she raised her eyebrows at Grace.<br>"Yesterday? Nothing."  
>"Bullshit nothing. You said training was good."<br>"Yeah it was, I went to time him run the course."  
>"And?"<br>"And he ran a course…and then ran over to me" she laughed. "That's all you're getting."  
>"C'mon?" Alana tried pleading. "It's not fair. I don't have a boyfriend, I am living vicariously through your experiences" she whinged.<br>"We had what I'm sure was a very gross PDA." Grace laughed. "Happy now?"  
>"No. Ew. Thanks."<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Three days Later<strong>

Grace smiled at Alana as her mobile rang just as the car stopped when they pulled up at a motel near the host school on the Thursday night. "Afternoon Brendan" she smiled as she answered.  
>"Graceeee" Josh groaned at the use of his Christian name. "I thought you were sick of that."<br>"Not yet. How's your motel?"  
>"Not bad. We only got here about half an hour ago."<br>"Yeah. Does it have much of a view?"  
>"A view? It's just on the road…. Did you think they'd put us up in Crown Plaza? No fancy princess accommodation for us public school kids."<br>She laughed "Well go outside and tell me what you see."  
>"Trees, Cars…"<br>"You're still sitting on the bed aren't you?"  
>"Maybe."<br>"Go on just do it" she laughed.  
>"Alright alright…" he opened the door to his room and stepped out onto the balcony. "Cars…trees…"<br>"Look down."  
>"And you… Gracie what are you doing here?" Josh hung up quickly running down the stairs and over to her. "What the hell are you doing here? You said they wouldn't let you come."<br>"Coach likes me" she grinned as he wrapped his arms around her. "And Mum doesn't know you're running. And I lied…I've known since Monday I could come."  
>"Liar liar pants on fire" he smiled kissing her as he pulled her closer towards him.<br>Grace's coach walked past with a bag "School rules Gracie" she reminded her.  
>Grace pouted at Josh, pulling back from his embrace, reaching instead for his hands, taking them in hers. "No kissing or embracing…hand holding is acceptable" she quoted at him. "Sucks…but I will be breaking them again tomorrow when you win."<br>"I'll be happy with a top 10 Grace."  
>"Yeah me too. I'll be cheering for you the loudest."<br>"I know you will" he grinned at her. "Which one's your bag?"  
>She pointed, shaking her head as Josh picked it up. "You don't have to do that."<br>"Oh really…and how do you propose you're going to get up the stairs on crutches whilst carrying that thing?" he asked her laughing.  
>"It's not that big" She laughed. "It's an overnight bag, I can manage, but …Ok well thank you." She gave in with a smile as he continued to walk with it.<br>"You're very welcome… I can't believe you're here."  
>She smiled "My two favourite people have a very important race tomorrow…I wasn't going to miss it."<br>"It'll make so much difference Gracie."  
>"No it won't. You'll kill it regardless of whether I'm here or not. You can win this thing because you're an amazing athlete. Not because there's a cripple at the end waiting for you to kiss her."<br>"Maybe a bit of both?"  
>She laughed "I really want to steal you but I should probably help Alana settle her nerves."<br>"Yeah and I was just going to walk the course with the teacher."  
>"Yeah they'll be going out soon to do it. I'll come and visit you later…reckon your teacher would let me in?"<br>"Well….swimming's part of your physio isn't it? Maybe we could go for a dip?"  
>"It's the middle of winter, it's freezing Josh!"<br>"I reckon I could keep you warm" he grinned.  
>She rolled her eyes "No way. I'm not getting in the ice bucket. I didn't bring anything."<br>"Princess!"  
>"That's not going to work" she laughed shaking her head "Not this time. It's too cold Josh."<br>"OK fair enough. Well my teacher isn't going to leave us alone either so I guess it's just a couple of brief conversations on the balcony."  
>"Wish we were old enough to get our own room and stuff the teachers" she laughed. "Don't look so excited. I'm not gonna sleep with you…just want to be able to hang out with you without being spied on."<br>Josh laughed pulling her to him once more as they got up out the front of Grace's room, kissing her softly on the forehead. "Be good. I'll come see you later."

* * *

><p>Grace and Alana were on their beds watching TV that night when there was a knock on the door of the motel room.<br>"Who is it?" Alana asked getting up and going over.  
>"It's Josh. Is Gracie there?"<br>Alana grinned, opening the door "Come on in."  
>Josh entered the room looking around "Has your coach got her own room?"<br>Grace nodded starting to get up "Yeah this is just Alana and I."  
>"And don't even think about sleeping over. Grace has told me allllll about what you got up to Sunday morning" Alana added quickly.<br>"Oh bullshit!" Grace laughed. "I didn't tell her anything" she protested.  
>Josh laughed, sitting down on Graces bed beside her before she got up, putting an arm around her as Grace kissed him hello. "Don't worry Alana, I won't be staying. Just came to say goodnight."<br>Grace cuddled into his side, "Stay a bit. Movie's almost over. We have snacks," she grinned pointing to the bag of junk food on the table between the two beds.  
>He nodded, settling back against Graces pillows as she leant against him, reaching for a handful of chips and watching the rest of the movie with them.<p>

As the movie finished he kissed the top of Graces hair, getting up carefully. "I should go to bed. Alana and I both have a big day tomorrow."  
>Grace nodded, putting her hand behind her to take her weight as Josh moved, pushing herself up off the bed, walking him out. "Thanks for visiting" she grinned, pressing her lips softly to his.<br>"Anytime. Sleep tight."  
>She grinned "I'll see you in the morning."<p>

Hobbling back to her bed Grace couldn't wipe the smile from her face. Alana throwing a pillow at her. "Earth to Grace. Are you in there?"  
>Grace laughed, catching the pillow and tossing it back at her. "You're not funny."<br>"No, but the two of you are. Funny and cute. You've both got it bad."  
>"We do not" she protested, but she was laughing.<br>"Is that right? Grace you may say you're up here to watch me race but we both know you're here because you want to cheer Josh on. Your parents might believe you but I don't…not for a second" she laughed.  
>"I want to see both of you race."<br>"Yeah I know… but would you have fought it so badly if it was just me?" she raised her eyebrows.  
>"Yes, of course I would have. You're my best friend Alana and I am here to cheer you on. Josh is just an added bonus."<br>"You're falling hard." She smiled at her, trying again.  
>"Yeah I am. It's too soon though right?"<br>Alana shook her head. "This is the happiest I have seen you Grace. He was so protective of you at the netball courts last week Grace. No-one was going to touch you but him once you were settled in his arms. He was all protective and "back off she's mine" to everyone but the ambos." She laughed, "He's just as into you as you are to him."

* * *

><p><strong>Friday<strong>

"Alana it's time to wake up" Grace throwing a pillow at her friends head. "You need to get up, have a shower and get down to breakfast before they stop serving it or you'll pass out part way through the course."  
>"What time is it?" she groaned throwing the pillow back at Grace weakly.<br>"Eight thirty."  
>"Plenty of time. I don't race until eleven" she moaned rolling over again.<br>"Breakfast finishes at nine. And we're leaving at nine thirty. Josh is racing at ten and you have to warm up you idiot. Get up." She laughed throwing the pillow at her again.  
>"You have first shower. I'll get up then."<br>"I showered at six Alana. I've been up for ages. I had breakfast with Josh because the first time I woke you up you told me where to go. Now I'm not giving you a choice. Get up get up get up!" She laughed pulling the doona off her.  
>"Argh you bitch! I hate you" she complained, dragging herself out of bed and grabbing her stuff heading for the shower.<br>Grace was sitting on the bed when she came back out. "How's the nerves?"  
>"Fine. I'll be right."<br>"Make sure you beat Stella yeah?" Grace smiled. "A win would be nice but beating her would be even better" she grinned.  
>"A win?" Alana laughed. "I can't win this Gracie…but I can try my very best to get Stella for you."<br>"You could win it if you wanted to."  
>"I'm not as competitive as you, so I'm never going to train hard enough. I'm just happy to be here. I know that's not what you want to hear…"<br>Grace shook her head. "It's cool. I'm happy you're here too. You've done really well…now get dressed and go and eat" she laughed.

**Two and a Half Hours Later**

"Forth! You came FORTH!" Grace squealed as Josh walked over to her after the race, launching herself at him the best she could with only the use of one leg to launch off. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders she squeezed him tightly before kissing him quickly on the lips three times.  
>Josh laughed, catching and taking her weight easily, holding her to him, waiting for her to calm a little before kissing her softer.<br>"Congratulations" Grace finally said as they broke apart. "You should probably put me down now. I am so proud of you."  
>"I couldn't have done it without you!"<br>"Bull. You worked so hard for this and you worked your butt off today. You did this all on your own Josh. I am so happy for you."  
>"Bit different knowing what was waiting for me at the end of the course though Gracie. I ran that little bit harder for you. I knew you'd tell me off if I didn't kill it."<br>She smiled. "I'm not that bad. I would still have kissed you if you came in last."  
>"Not like you kissed me just now you wouldn't" he laughed, running his hand through her hair before setting her back on the ground.<br>"I'm just excited" she laughed back. "This whole time you've said top ten…..top five is amazing. You smashed your PB! I'm so happy for you. You totally deserved it. Oh and I have something for you."  
>Josh looked surprised. "What?"<br>Grace pulled an envelope out of her pocket and handed it to him.  
>"What is this?"<br>"Our bet."  
>"But you didn't race. I don't want you money."<br>"I can hobble around the course on my crutches if you'd prefer, but I'm pretty sure your time would beat mine today. You won the bet. I'm paying up."  
>He shook his head. "Well what if I used it to shout us lunch one day on the weekend?" he offered.<br>"I'd say it would be a very wise investment of your prize money" she smiled. "You know…if I had have raced today I would have beat you."  
>Josh rolled his eyes at her. "No you wouldn't…..but say you got in about the same time as me…because I think you would have come pretty close…I reckon you'd have a pretty good shot at winning the girls."<br>Grace nodded slowly, her mood plummeting quickly at his comment. "Yeah…I know."  
>"Oh shit…Grace..I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stick the knife in" he put his arm back around her pulling her into his side.<br>"No it's ok. You're right. I could have at least placed today….but it's not meant to be this year right? I'm ok. I'm happy for you…and I'm really happy for Alana. She'll be starting soon so if you're free I'm sure she wouldn't mind an extra member in her cheer squad."  
>Josh kissed the side of her head. "I'll go get a drink and I'll come back. Did you want anything?"<br>Grace shook her head. "I'm good, thanks."

* * *

><p>"GO ALANA" Grace screamed just before the race started, grinning at her friend as she felt Josh's arms wrap around her waist and a wolf whistle being let out over the top of her head.<br>"Wooooo Go Alana" Josh echoed grinning.  
>Grace waited until she was well out of sight before turning in Josh's arms to face him. "Now we wait" she smiled pressing her lips to his briefly.<br>"You're teachers watching you…you know that right? You're gonna get into trouble for that." He warned her, moving his hands down to rest on her hips, keeping a small distance between them.  
>"So I guess sneaking off into the bush is off the agenda then?" she laughed letting go of him. "She better beat Stella. I don't care if she come's second last…as long as it's Stella who comes in last."<br>Josh laughed at her. "What is it with you two?"  
>"Stella and I?"<br>"Yeah. "  
>"She used to go to St Pats with us, when we were all in primary school. We just never got on. We're rivals in pretty much everything…I don't hate her…I just have an overwhelming urge to be just a little bit better than her in everything." She smiled at him, "Is that too elitist?"<br>He shook his head laughing at her. "Grace, you have an overwhelming urge to be just a little bit better than EVERYONE at EVERYTHING" he laughed. "You're a bit competitive."  
>"Not everything" she protested. "Just sports. Although if Stella went after you I'd probably fight her to the death. I think I could be competitive about other things."<br>Josh raised his eyebrows in amusement, "That'd be kinda cool."  
>She hit him in the bicep laughing. "Too melodramatic for you?"<br>"Just a bit" he laughed wrapping his arms back around her.  
>"Mmmm sweaty boyfriend" she teased, leaning her head back against his chest to smile up at him.<p>

* * *

><p>"Awesome. She beat her." Grace turned back to Josh as Alana crossed the finish line in the middle of the pack but a few metres in front of Stella. "Not that it mattered a bit of course" she corrected herself squeezing his hands. "I better go congratulate her. I'll catch up with you a bit later?" she quickly kissed him on the cheek and went over to her coach to wait for Alana.<br>Alana grinned as she walked over a few minutes later. "Did my job then."  
>Grace laughed giving her a hug. "Congratulations. You made good time….And you kicked her butt."<br>"Girls, it's not all about beating one rival, you do know that I hope" the teacher intervened.  
>"Of course it's not" Grace laughed. "But it makes us work harder."<br>"I suppose it does. Good race Alana. You ran well."  
>Alana laughed as Grace let go of her, standing back. "I'm disappointed. I didn't get the same congratulations as you gave Josh."<br>"You want me to fly into your arms?" she laughed. "I'll break your back."  
>"I didn't get kisses either" she laughed.<br>"Alana go and cool down. Grace can I have a word please?" the teacher intervened, waiting for Alana to go to start stretching before pulling Grace aside.  
>"Grace, in case you've forgotten, the school rules about fraternising with other students still apply when you are representing the school, even when you are not wearing school uniform."<br>"Yeah I know….I'm sorry. My boyfriend, he was racing this morning and he did really well and I got a bit excited. It won't happen again."  
>"Make sure it doesn't, ok? You may not be racing but you are still here representing the school and I don't want to have to make a scene by having to break the two of you up….and I'm sure you don't want to be embarrassed either? Or have a detention when we get back to school."<br>Grace nodded. "Of course. Thank you…for not giving me detention."  
>"You're a good student Grace. Just don't let having a boyfriend get in the way of that."<br>"That won't happen Miss. He's great."  
>She laughed. "I can see you're very happy, and I'm happy…just hold back on the affection in school hours."<br>"I will. Thank you."

* * *

><p><strong>Well that's it for Part 9. Things start getting rocky for the two in the next couple of Chapters...unless I add in one more happy one... What would you prefer? More sap or some drama? Let me know.<br>**


	10. Chapter 10

**Finally we are at action stations...I did promise that something would happen eventually in this fic and here is some drama for anyone who is still reading :)**

Enjoy.

* * *

><p><strong>Four Months Later<strong>

It was four am on a Monday morning when Grace was woken by her mobile phone vibrating on the bedside table next to her head. "Hello?" she mumbled into it as she woke up slowly. "Hello?" she tried again when there was no response. "Who's this? It's the middle of the night," she complained.  
>"Gracie, it's me."<br>"Josh?" she sat up in bed. "It's four am. What's wrong?"  
>"Is it? Sorry…" he trailed off.<br>"No. It's ok. What is it? What's happened?"  
>"I'm at the hospital. There's been an accident… "<br>"What? Are you ok?"  
>"Yeah… Look, I know it's early but can I come get you? I need to see you."<br>"Is everything ok?"  
>"Not really. Grace?" his voice dropped with a desperation Grace had never heard in it before.<br>"Yeah, OK. How about I get Andrew to drop me at the hospital…I don't know if you should be driving."  
>"I'm OK… I'm leaving now."<br>"Alright. Give me a call when you get here and I'll come out."

Grace pulled some clothes on, going to sit on the front steps until he pulled up twenty minutes later. She got up, going straight over to his car, getting in putting her hand on his arm. "Josh?" she asked, worried.  
>Josh put his hand on hers, squeezing it tightly before putting the car back into gear. He drove down to the waterfront without a word, parking the car and getting out.<br>Grace was nervous, getting out and going around to his side, wrapping her arms around her boyfriend firmly.  
>He gulped as he tried to suck in a deep breath of air, pulling Grace against his chest, clinging to her tightly.<br>"It's OK" she whispered against him. "Whatever it is, it's going to be ok."  
>Josh shook his head. "He's dead… I killed him."<br>Grace pulled back slightly so she could look at him, her arms still tightly around his waist. "Who's dead? What's happened Josh?"  
>"Matty… there was an accident…" he said, barely audible even though Grace was so close.<br>Grace moved him so he was sitting back down in the car seat, kneeling on the gutter in front of him, taking both of his hands in his. "Oh God… What happened?"  
>"I killed him" he repeated.<br>"It was an accident. Babe, you didn't mean it…you said it yourself, it was an accident."  
>"I killed my brother Gracie…" he trailed off again, reaching out for her. Grace leant forward so her head was close to his lap, Josh's hand moving to the back of her head, his fingers in amongst her hair.<br>She stayed like that for ten minutes, letting him sit in silence before moving, her knees grinding against the cement. She stood up, taking his hand. "Come on" she whispered, taking the keys from him and locking the car behind him before wrapping her arm around his waist, walking slowly with him out onto the pier.  
>Josh kept his arm firmly around her shoulders, walking with her in silence, sitting on the edge of the jetty with his legs over the edge when they reached the end.<br>Grace sat beside him, her arm going back around his waist, Josh pulling her so she was close beside him. She sat there in silence with him as the sun rose before turning to him, speaking softly. "What happened?"  
>"We were mucking around in the ute in the paddocks, he was in the back and I was driving. A roo came out in front of us and I slammed on the brakes, and we must have skidded in the mud or something, he went flying. He's got brain injuries…they want us to turn off the life support." Josh hugged her closer to him, Grace putting her other arm around his front to hold him.<br>"It was an accident."  
>"He's still dead."<br>She nodded, tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry" she whispered.  
>"Just…stay with me?" he pleaded quietly.<br>"I'm not going anywhere" she promised, kissing his cheek reassuringly. "I'm right here."  
>He nodded, sitting with her in silence for the next two and a half hours as they both stared out at the horizon.<br>Grace didn't move, leaving her head on his shoulder, knowing her boyfriend well enough by now to know that he just needed her there without any conversation forced on him. "I better call Mum….let her know where I am and that I'm not going to school today," She finally spoke when the alarm on her phone beeped to let her know it was time to get up.  
>He nodded, letting go of her slowly, watching her as she stood up and walked a few metres away to make the call.<br>"Mum, its me."  
>"Grace? Where the hell have you been? Why aren't you here getting ready for school?" her mother told her off down the phone line. "I've told you, if you're going to run before school you need to be home before seven thirty to get ready."<br>"I'm not out running Mum. There's been an accident. Josh's brothers been killed. I'm with Josh. I'm not going to school today."  
>"That's horrible and I'm really sorry to hear that Grace, but Josh should be with his family, and you should be at school."<br>"I am his family. This is more important than school and I wasn't giving you a choice Mum. I was telling you, I'm not going to school today, or tomorrow or probably the rest of this week. I'll call you later, I've got to go." Grace hung up, going back to Josh.  
>"She's mad?"<br>Grace shook her head, "It doesn't matter." Her hand reached back out for his, her fingers curling around his. "I'm not going anywhere."  
>"I should… I really should go back to the hospital…to say goodbye" he swallowed as the words got caught in his throat.<br>She nodded "Do you want me to come with you?"  
>He clutched her hand tighter "Please?"<br>She nodded again. "Babe…I really don't think you should drive. Let me call the Twins, they can take us in."  
>Josh shook his head "I'm alright… It'll be ok."<br>She stood, nodding a third time as she offered her hand to help him up before walking slowly back to the car with him.

* * *

><p>Walking into the hospital half an hour later, Josh was still clutching Grace's hand. "Which way, do you remember?" she asked him softly.<br>He shook his head "I'm sorry."  
>"It's ok. It's easy to find out." She went over to the information desk, asking a few questions before leading Josh up to intensive care, doing her best to hide the terror in her eyes as they walked past another patient's room.<br>Josh's mother stood up, fresh tears running down her cheeks as she saw her son walk back in. "Oh Brendan" she sobbed, hugging him tightly, Josh's eyes still watching Grace even as he hugged his mother.  
>"Mr &amp; Mrs Joshua, I'm so sorry" Grace expressed her condolences, hugging his mother as she cried more tears.<br>"Thank you love" she whispered.  
>Josh moved back to Graces side protectively as she let go of his mother, his arm slipping back around her waist, bringing her closer in to his side again.<br>"Brendan…did you want to see Matt?" his father asked, his own arm around his wife, doing exactly what his son was doing with Grace. "It's time mate…" he added quietly.  
>Josh nodded, Grace grabbing his hand as she felt his body shake.<br>"I'll just be out here" she promised him quietly.  
>"No…please Gracie" his voice shook as he begged her to come in with him. "I need you."<br>She nodded, walking with him slowly into Matt's hospital room.  
>The steady beep of the heart monitor and the constant rhythmic breathing set by the ventilator were emphasised in the otherwise silent room. Fifteen year old Matt, a smaller build than his older brother looked tiny in the bed meant for an adult, his face ghostly white as the machines around him kept him alive, a thick white bandage around his head.<br>Grace's feet seemed to fix to the ground about a metre from his bedside, letting go of Josh's hand slowly. "Go on" she whispered to him.  
>Josh nodded, not pushing her to go any further with him, taking the final couple of steps to his brother's bedside. "Goodbye mate" he whispered, taking his brothers hand as he perched on the side of the bed. "I don't know what I'm going to do…what any of us are going to do without you…. I'm sorry mate. Now would be the time for you to open your eyes and start laughing at me…" he paused, as if secretly hoping his brother might still be fooling around. "I'm sorry….I didn't mean it." He added one last time before kissing his cheek. "Goodbye."<br>Josh had tears running down his cheeks as he let go of his brothers' hand and turned back to Grace. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, letting out a sob as he clung to her as tightly as she did to him.  
>Seeing the two of them through the window in the door, his mother, father and the doctor came back into the room. "It's time" his father told him softly.<br>"I'll wait outside" Grace whispered so only Josh could hear.  
>Josh nodded, knowing his young girlfriend was already struggling just being in the room. He let go of her slowly watching as she stepped outside of the room before going back to his brothers' bedside and taking his hand again.<p>

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><p><strong>How was that? As usual your thoughts are much appreciated... Unfortunately this had to happen. Even in this alternative universe some elements of the show had to be introduced. <strong>


	11. Chapter 11

Sorry...life's a little hectic at the moment and it's going to get a bit crazier over the next few weeks so I am trying to drag what I do have complete (about 4-6 more chapters) out until a couple of weeks time when I will have some free time to write more.

Enjoy.

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><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

When the family emerged from the room twenty minutes later Grace went straight back over to Josh, Josh holding her like he'd never held her before, pulling her desperately into his arms and holding her there firmly. She stayed where she was, still in his arms when his father finally let go of his mother and walked over to them.  
>"How you doing Brenno?" he checked.<br>Josh nodded slightly, his chin brushing against Graces hair. "OK".  
>"I'm going to take your mother home… you should come too."<br>"Yeah… soon." He nodded.

* * *

><p>"I don't want to stay here…not tonight." Josh admitted to Grace mid-afternoon as they sat outside on the steps to the veranda, Grace still holding his hand.<br>"You'll be OK. Your parents need you here. Maybe I can stay if I'm not in the way?"  
>He shook his head. "No Grace. I can't be here. I can't be in this house when he's not there. Not when it's my fault he's not here."<br>"Josh…it's not your fault" she reassured him, not for the first time that day. "But I get it. Um… you can't stay at my place. Mum would never allow it. I'm sorry…"  
>"Yeah I know… I wasn't askin.."<br>"How about a motel or a cabin?" she interrupted.  
>"I'm broke."<br>"My shout. I could stay with you?"  
>"Your Mum would never let you" he pulled her back against him and rested his forehead against hers.<br>"If I get my stuff now she won't get a say in it. I don't care if they punish me. Not tonight. You need me more and I can deal with anything they throw at me."  
>Josh nodded, getting up with her slowly, pulling her up off the steps once he was up.<br>"Go get your things" she told him. Grace went into the lounge room to talk to his parents while Josh got his bag together. "Um… Josh isn't coping so well…he doesn't want to stay here tonight. We're going to go and get a motel or something. Is that alright?"  
>"What about your parents Grace sweetheart?" Kate asked her.<br>"Um…. I can deal with them" she assured her. "Will you two be alright on your own? I'm sorry…I tried to convince him to stay here. He just can't handle it tonight."  
>Mr Joshua nodded at her. "No. We'll be fine…thank you for everything today Grace."<br>She shook her head "Don't be silly… Once again, I am so so sorry." She gave Kate another hug.  
>"We know you are. Thank you for taking care of Josh."<br>She nodded, scribbling her number onto a piece of paper "Here's my mobile number…if you need us or if you need anything, I'll make sure it's charged."  
>His mother took the paper off her. "Thank you. You two look after each other, alright?"<br>"Of course. He just needs to process it all."

* * *

><p>Grace turned to Josh when they pulled up at a local caravan park an hour later, having picked up a bag of her things on the way through, passing him the cash from her wallet. "You'll need to make the booking, I look too young."<br>He nodded, going in to make it, getting back in the car ten minutes later. "We have a cabin."  
>"Sounds good" she put her hand on his bicep, leaving it there as he drove to the site. "Just a few more minutes and you can stop" she soothed, getting out as they pulled up out the front of the cabin and grabbing both of their bags, leading her stunned boyfriend inside. She set the bags down on the table near the door. "How 'bout you have a shower?"<br>"I'm right" he sat down on the end of the double bed.  
>"It might make you feel a bit better?"<br>"I killed my brother today…a showers not going to make anything better Grace" he snapped.  
>She nodded, pouring a glass of water, biting her lip. "It was an accident Josh. You can't blame yourself. If you didn't break you both might have died. Drink this." She added, passing the glass to him.<br>He took a mouthful, putting the glass down beside the bed. "He's dead Grace."  
>"I know. I know" she pulled a chair over from the table so she was sitting opposite at him. "I…I don't know what to say Josh. I wish I could fix things…"<br>"Just…be you" he put his hands on her shoulders. "And stay close."  
>She nodded, resting her hands on his knees.<p>

* * *

><p>"I'm really hungry Josh" she finally spoke again, three quarters of an hour later, having sat in silence at his side for the whole time. "And I know you're probably not, but I think you should eat something too."<br>"No…I'm starving" he agreed. "Did you want to go for a walk and get something?"  
>"Yeah" She took his hand as they walked down the street to a takeaway shop they'd passed on the way in. "I really should call Mum" she said after they'd ordered and they were waiting out the front.<br>"Are you gonna be in shit?"  
>"Mmm" she wrapped her arms around him "But there's nowhere else I would be tonight. I'll be grounded when I do go home but that doesn't even matter right now."<br>"I'm sorry" he pressed his lips to her forehead.  
>"Don't be. It's my call." She pulled her mobile out dialling her home number, stepping away to make the call as her brother picked up "Oh Chris, Thank God. It's Grace."<br>"Gracie! I'll get Mum"  
>"No…no don't get Mum, just give her a message for me."<br>"She's furious Grace. She's so mad at you. You're in so much trouble for cutting school."  
>"Yeah I know… just pass a message on for me. Tell her I'm not coming home tonight, I'm staying with Josh."<br>"You are dead. Wait…here she is. You tell her." Chris passed the phone over.  
>"What. No Chris just tell her you prick!" she argued as her mother took the phone.<br>"Tell me what Grace Louise?"  
>"That I'm staying with Josh tonight."<br>"No you're not Grace. That's not going to happen. Where are you?" she demanded to know.  
>"Out" she replied, holding her ground.<br>"Grace you're already grounded and unless you want things to get a whole lot worse I suggest you tell me exactly where you are or get yourself home within the next half an hour."  
>Grace walked back to Josh, shaking her head, perching on his knee as he sat waiting. "No Mum. I called you so you didn't worry all night, not to discuss this."<br>"You are fifteen years old. You do not go anywhere without mine or your fathers permission. You don't discuss anything. You do as you're told at your age. You don't go off having sleepovers with that dropkick boyfriend of yours."  
>Grace scoffed, in shock. "I'm hanging up now. I'm not coming home tonight… I'm safe. And I'll try not to get pregnant" she added at the end before hanging up the phone in disgust. "Bitch" she said to Josh, shaking her head.<br>"You ok?" he checked running his hands down the side of her arms.  
>She nodded. "Fine. You heard her right?"<br>"Yeah."  
>"I'm sorry. I know it doesn't make it any better…but it's not what I think."<br>"I know" he kissed the back of her neck. "Although I'm not sure you mentioning getting pregnant helps your cause very much" he offered a faint smile.  
>"She thinks we're doing it anyway. And like she just said, who am I to tell her she's wrong" she shrugged. "The most important thing is that I'm with you tonight and we're both safe."<br>"I'm never going to let anything happen to you Gracie."  
>"Nothing's going to happen to me Josh." She got up as their number was called, grabbing the order and taking his hand again. "C'mon let's eat."<p>

After their meal Grace turned to him. "If you're not going to have a shower I am."  
>He nodded, tossing the rubbish into the bin. "Go for it."<br>She kissed his cheek before going to dig through her bag for some pyjamas going to shower, coming back out twenty minutes later with wet hair and pyjama shorts and a singlet on, obviously without a bra, the hair dryer in her hands.  
>Josh looked at her, clearly taking in a more casual side to his girlfriend than he normally saw. "I swear Gracie… You're so beautiful."<br>She gave him a shy smile sitting on the bed, leaning over to plug the hair dryer in. "Please go and have a shower? I promise you, you will feel so much better just for doing so. I'm not going anywhere, I'm just gonna sit here and dry my hair."  
>He finally nodded, grabbing his bag and going to shower, returning in just pyjama shorts, shirtless, sitting on the bed beside Grace as she flicked the hair dryer off and turned to him. "Thank you, you're right. I feel much better."<br>"You smell better too" she added, reaching out to touch his cheek. "How you doing?"  
>"I don't think it's sunk in yet… I'm never going to see him again…"<br>"I'm so sorry."  
>"I know you are. I don't know how I would have got through today without you…"<br>"You would have. But I'm glad you didn't have to. I'm glad it helped you, even a little bit. Are you tired?"  
>"It's only seven o'clock."<br>"You didn't sleep last night remember."  
>"I don't think I'm going to sleep tonight either" he guessed.<br>"You need to at least try," she instructed, flicking the lamp on beside the bed and getting up to turn the other lights on before climbing into the bed.  
>"Did you want me to take one of the bunks?" he offered.<br>"No. I want you to get in right here" she whispered, patting the bed beside her. "If you're comfortable with that?"  
>Josh climbed in beside her, pulling her petite frame over so he could wrap his arms around her "You ok?" he checked.<br>She nodded, turning the TV on low. "The only guy I've ever slept beside before is Chris and I don't think he counts" she whispered nervously.  
>"If you're uncomfortable…"<br>She shook her head "I'm not. And I think we both need to be close to each other tonight. "  
>"Just relax" he whispered, rubbing her shoulders lightly.<br>"I'm OK" she reassured him, but he could feel the tension leaving her body as she relaxed under his touch.  
>"Much better" he added, kissing her shoulder. "What are we watching?"<br>"Ummm" she channel surfed until they found a repeat of the Big Bang Theory. "This?"  
>He nodded, watching one and a half episodes with her before Grace saw his eyelids drooping.<br>"Bed time" she whispered, turning off the television and helping him move so he was laying down, Grace flicking off the lamp before lying beside him.  
>"Gracie?" he asked after a moment of silence.<br>"Mmmm?" she turned to face him as he reached for her hands.  
>"I love you" he whispered to her. "So much."<br>She blinked away a couple of tears, which glowed in the filtered light of the room. "I know you do. I love you too," she whispered back, reaching out to cup his chin lightly with her hand.  
>He shuffled closer to her, kissing her lips softly until hers moved against his, her body moving closer towards his as her lips pressed harder against his.<br>"Go to sleep" she whispered as their lips parted minutes later.  
>"Can I hold you?"<br>Grace nodded, staying in the middle of the bed, still just millimetres from his lips. "Please do."  
>Josh wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest securely. Grace kissed his chest softly before laying her head back down on the pillow. "You comfy?" he checked.<br>"I'm on your arm…it'll go numb."  
>"I don't care" he kissed her on the forehead. "Goodnight beautiful."<br>"Night" she whispered

* * *

><p>When Grace opened her eyes the next morning she was met by the brown eyes of Josh watching her closely. Confusion showed in her eyes for a split second before she remembered where she was, offering him a shy smile. "Morning."<br>"God you are gorgeous" he told her, kissing her on the forehead. "I could watch you sleep all day."  
>She blushed as he reached forward to tuck the hair over her eye behind her ear. "Did you get much sleep?" she queried.<br>"Not a lot" he admitted.  
>She stretched out, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him to her in a tight embrace. "I'm sorry" she whispered.<br>"Not ya fault Gracie."  
>"I know" she stroked his arm lightly. "Can I get you anything?"<br>He shook his head. "Just keep doing what you're doing."  
>She nodded, staying in his arms for the next half an hour, only moving when she had to go to the bathroom, coming back out ten minutes later with her hair brushed and looking a bit fresher, sitting on the side of the bed. "So…do we go back to the farm?" She reached out to take his hands, asking the question that had been on both their minds since waking. "I can pay for another night…but I think you need to go back and see your parents. They're going to need you too."<br>"You need to go to school" he said distantly, his thoughts clearly elsewhere.  
>She shook her head. "I don't have to, if you want me to come back to your place with you?" she offered.<br>"Could you?" he asked hopefully.  
>"Josh…Right now I don't give a crap about school. Right now the most important thing for me is being there for you. There's nothing there that I can't catch up on later… I think that you need me more right now…but if you need time just with your family then you just need to tell me and I'll give you some space….I'll do whatever you need right now."<br>He shook his head pulling her back across the bed into his arms. "I think that…I need you right now. Everything's a blur at the moment, but having you here makes me breathe. You are my family….and I know it's asking a lot of you and it's unfair but I need you Gracie…I need to keep you close right now...I can't lose you too."  
>Grace felt the tears running down her cheers again hugging him tightly. "You're not going to lose me Josh… I promise you, you're not going to lose me too. It doesn't work that way… I'm not going anywhere and I will be staying right at your side for as long as you need….but nothing's going to happen if you turn your back for a minute."<br>Josh pulled her tight against his chest running his hand through her hair. "I can't risk it…" he whispered as a tear finally ran down his cheek.

* * *

><p>So, what happens now? Should Josh leave town like he did in the show? What about Grace? Could he leave her behind? Would her parents let her go?<br>I'll try and get the next chapter up soon.


	12. Chapter 12

My apologies for taking so long to get this next chapter out to you all. Life has been incredibly busy lately and I just hadn't had a chance to read through it properly. I have a bit more time on my hands from next week so hopefully I will be posting a little more regularly again soon.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12<strong>

Grace spent most of the next three days with Josh and his family, refusing to go to school having called the school herself and explained the situation, the school not happy but Grace adamant that she wasn't going in. Josh barely let her out of his sight if she was around, very 'touchy feely' with her, keeping her close, the two messaging each other back and forward when Grace went home to sleep after the first night.

"Grace, what part of grounded do you not understand?" her father yelled as he walked into her room after the fourth day of her missing school. "It means you go to school and you come straight home. It doesn't mean you wag school and go and spend the day with Josh!" he got up her. "Your mother and I don't know what to do with you anymore. This is getting ridiculous. You cannot stop your life because of a death in another family."  
>"The funeral's tomorrow. I'll go back to school on Monday" she answered calmly, looking up from an assignment she was working on.<br>"You're going to school tomorrow Grace."  
>"No, I'm not. I don't even know why we're arguing about this. You can punish me any way you want but I am going to be by my boyfriends' side as he buries his brother tomorrow. You can't stop me."<br>Her phone went off again and he grabbed it from her. "This," he held the phone up, "is a privilege. You're grounded, you don't get privileges."  
>"Oh for God's sake give it back."<br>"No. I pay the bill on this Grace, which makes it mine. And you can forget netball or touch or any of your other after school activities. You're not playing any of them anymore until I see an improvement in behaviour. I'll be changing the internet password as well. And I'll be dropping you at school in the morning myself."  
>"I don't care. Punish me." She challenged. "I don't give a crap Dad. I'm still not turning my back on Josh and I'm not going to school tomorrow."<br>"Quit the swearing, and the attitude Missy. This…this boy. He's bad for you. He's a bloody criminal. You shouldn't be around him and you definitely should not be in a car with him."  
>She shook her head, trying desperately to hold back her tears. "You don't even know him. Just piss off. You don't know what you're talking about."<br>She slammed her door behind him as he left, finally bursting into tears, her homework discarded on the table. After half an hour she went to knock on Leisha's door. "Leish…can I borrow your phone?" she asked quietly.  
>"Dad confiscate yours?" she checked.<br>Grace nodded. "And banned me from everything."  
>"So what are you going to do?" she asked, smiling.<br>"Call Josh… let him know what's going on… the last thing he needs right now is to be worrying about me, but at the same time he needs to know why I can't be there all the time. He's a mess Leish. I don't care what Mum or Dad say, he needs me more than I need to be at school right now."  
>"How are you holding up?" she asked.<br>Grace laughed shakily, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. "I just want to make it better. All three of them are just devastated. Josh will never forgive himself and I just don't know what to do anymore. He says me just being there is helping but how is that enough?"  
>"You're in love…" she half stated half asked.<br>"Yeah," she nodded. "We love each other."  
>"No, really, you're in love. I heard you and Conor say it to each other all the time but this is the first time you've actually meant it."<br>"I know that Leish. But it doesn't help me make him feel any better."  
>Leisha nodded handing Grace her phone. "Use it."<br>"Thank you." Grace quickly dialled Josh's number, shaking her head as it went to voicemail, quickly sending him a text.  
>"<em>It's Grace. Dad took my phone I'm on Leisha's."<br>_Josh called back within seconds. "Gracie?"  
>"Sorry, I didn't get to read your last message…I..I might have some trouble getting to yours in the morning."<br>"I can come and get you?"  
>"I don't think that'd work."<br>"It's ok….If you can't make it, it's alright. I'll be OK."  
>"No… I want to be there. Could I maybe stay at yours tonight?"<br>"Um….yeah of course. What about your parents?"  
>"It's fine."<br>"I'll come and pick you up?"  
>"You don't have too...I'll sort something out."<br>"I'll be there soon Grace."  
>"Um…OK. Well park down the end of the street and I'll meet you there? Half an hour OK?"<br>"Ok."  
>"Love you, bye" she hung up turning back to Leisha, flushing pink.<br>"Look at you, little Miss Perfect letting Mum & Dad down."  
>"They're gonna kill me." She let out a deep breath, passing her back her phone before going back to her room throwing her things into a bag.<p>

Leisha followed her in "How are you planning on doing this?"  
>"Straight out" she winked, walking downstairs. "Bye" she announced, taking off out the front door, sprinting down the street away from the house before her parents could react. She arrived at the end of the road five minutes later, jumping in as Josh pulled up trying to catch her breath. "Good timing… drive."<br>Josh drove ten minutes down the street before pulling over. "Grace what's going on?"  
>"Sorry, Just thought you might need a bit of company tonight" she offered.<br>"Grace…" he raised his eyebrows in disbelief.  
>"Ok, I might be in a little bit of trouble, but it's nothing you need to worry about. It's under control."<br>"Grace I don't want you getting in shit because of me" he shook his head putting his hand on her knee.  
>"Josh there is no way I'm not being there for you tomorrow… I can deal with it. You don't need to worry about me."<br>He shook his head, "I'm always going to worry about you."

* * *

><p>"I don't want to do this…" Josh trailed off as he came out of the bathroom in a suit, his tie in his shaking hands.<br>"I know" Grace whispered, going over to him, in a very simple A-line black dress, her hair brushed out. She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "I know you don't." She led him to sit down on his bed, taking his tie and putting it on the bed. "You don't need to wear that if you don't want to." She crouched down in front of him, putting her hands on his knees.  
>"Everybody will be talking Gracie…they'll all know what happened. They'll be staring at me…"<br>"It won't be easy but you will get through today. Nobody blames you Josh. It was an accident."  
>"That I caused" tears started flowing down his cheeks for the first time.<br>Grace quickly moved to sit beside him on the bed, pulling him into her side. "Not deliberately" she soothed. "I know you Josh…we all do. You loved Matty. You would never have hurt him on purpose. No one is going to think that."  
>"I do."<br>She squeezed his waist. "I know you do. It doesn't mean it's true though." She held him tightly as he cried against her shoulder finally moving her head and kissing him on his hair. "You just keep your eyes on me today, ok? If you think you're getting stared at, you just focus on me. I'll make it ok. I promise."  
>He nodded slowly sitting back up properly. "Thank you."<br>Grace got up, getting a washer and wiping his face gently. "I know it doesn't seem like it right now, but you are going to get through this. It's gonna take time but you will."  
>"I hope so…but I don't know how"<br>"With me" she whispered pulling him back into her arms.

* * *

><p>When they arrived at the church Grace got out of the car last, walking around to take Josh's hand as the family were greeted by friends and relatives.<br>"I can't do this" he mumbled to Grace who nodded, walking him down the driveway slightly away from everyone. "Thanks."  
>She wrapped her arms back around him holding him to her, Josh clinging to her again. "We can't avoid them all day but it can at least wait until after the service."<br>He nodded, wandering back up with her as people started to go in, clutching her hand tightly as the family were ushered to the front.  
>Grace slipped into the row beside him, Josh's arm going around her waist as she sat, pulling her closer. She took his other hand, holding it in her lap between her two. She tried hard to keep herself composed during the service for his sake, but only lasting a few minutes into it before the tears were streaming down her face.<br>Josh moved his hand up into her hair, stroking it soothingly as she turned to face him.  
>"Sorry" she mouthed.<br>He shook his head, continuing to stroke her hair as she recomposed herself, sitting closer to her for the rest of the service, never shedding a tear himself.

As they walked out Josh and his parents were pulled aside to accept condolences, Grace letting go of him going to wait to the side, some family friends going over to stand with her.  
>"Were you Matty's girlfriend?" they asked, seeing she was a similar age to Matt, one of the ladies giving her a hug seeing her struggling.<br>She shook her head. "No, no I'm Brendan's."  
>"Oh. How's he going."<br>"It's been a tough week" she told them, not saying too much. "For the whole family. Um, excuse me…" she mouthed 'bathroom' to Josh who was still watching her before ducking in to wipe her face. She went back out going to stand beside him as the last few relatives spoke with the family.  
>As soon as he was free he wrapped his arms around her again. "You ok?" he whispered, concerned.<br>"Yeah" she nodded. "How you doing?"  
>"I want to get this next bit over and done with."<br>She nodded again. "You're doing really well. Better than me" she whispered, wiping her eyes again.  
>"You can cry Gracie. It's not going to upset me any more than I already am, it'll probably just distract me having to comfort you."<br>"I'm OK" she reassured him, holding onto his hand a little more tightly. "We can be strong for each other."

At the burial Grace stood in front of Josh, his arms wrapped tightly around her front, her hands resting on top of his. He let go of her as he was called to put a flower on the coffin, taking half a step before stopping his shoulders starting to shake slightly. "I can't do it" he told Grace quietly.  
>"We'll do it together" she whispered back, taking his hand and taking the offered flowers passing one to Josh and walking with him, standing closer to him again when they finished, Josh not letting go of her again, staying with her in the cemetery until twenty minutes into the wake.<br>"Everybody in that room cares about how you're doing." She reassured him. "No one's judging you I promise."  
>"I… Grace I can't go back there. I can't deal with that place anymore. Mum and Dad, every single time they look at me I can see them thinking of the son they've lost because of me. I can't do it… I want to move out."<br>"We don't have to go in…we can stay out here as long as you like."  
>"No, I'm talking about home. Gracie I want to move out. I can't handle it anymore."<br>"You just have to give it some time" she soothed, resting her head against his chest.  
>"I can't do it Grace."<br>"Give it a few more weeks, you're all still grieving. I'll help you find somewhere if you still feel the same way then." She moved her head back so that she was looking at him, Josh's eyes pained, clearly struggling with the events of the day. She kissed him softly. "Did you want me to take you home?"  
>He shook his head. "Narh…c'mon" he loosened his embrace, slipping an arm around her waist. "I've got to do this."<br>"Just a few more hours and you can fall apart with just me" she promised. "You're doing great."

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><p>Thank you to everyone who's provided me with some feedback so far. It really is appreciated.<p>

Any ideas and suggestions are most welcome. I have only got another few chapters saved and then I'll be spending a while brain storming the future of this fic.


	13. Chapter 13

Instead of giving you all a Pinch & a Punch for the first of the month I thought I would instead give you a "Happy Winter" present in the form of another chapter. I know...2 in one week...and if you're lucky and I get enough motivation you'll get another by the end of the weekend.

Thought I owed it to you for the delay over the last few weeks. Thanks to all those who messaged me to check I was still alive.

This next chapter has taken a bit of a leap forward and there are only a few left complete after this. I am currently writing about Chapter 16 or 17 so if there's something you'd like to see them encounter feel free to suggest.

So without any further babbling from me...I hope this makes an enjoyable start to your weekend :)

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><p><strong>Once we were Young <strong>  
><strong>Chapter 13<strong>

**Three weeks later**

"You know, it's not too late to change your mind." Grace spoke, her voice wavering as she looked around the small bedroom in the five bedroom share-house that Josh was moving into the following day. "Is it even safe here?" she asked, looking up at the roof.  
>Josh took the few steps needed to cross the room to wrap his arms around her from behind. "It'll be fine. It's not forever."<br>"You're going to be miserable here," she worried squeezing his hands, holding them in front of her.  
>"Between school and work and sport and seeing you I will hardly be here bub" he reassured her giving her a squeeze.<br>"Can you even cook?" she pondered out loud.  
>"Gracie, I'm not going to starve. I'm going to be ok Grace. I just can't be there anymore. It's too hard."<br>She nodded. "I know… But if you change your mind…"  
>"You've been talking to Mum again haven't you?" he queried, pulling her around so she was looking at him.<br>Grace nodded. "She called me last night. She doesn't want you to go. Neither of them do. They're worried."  
>"Stop meddling Grace" he warned her, not happy.<br>"I'm not."  
>"You are." His voice rose. "You said you'd help me with this."<br>"And I am and I will. I just need to know you're doing this for the right reasons."  
>"I can't stay there Grace. Everywhere I go there's his stuff. I can't sleep. And I know they blame me."<br>"They don't."  
>"Can you just bloody shut up?" he asked frustrated. "You don't get it Grace. You're not going to."<br>"Don't tell me to shut up."  
>"Then stop telling me they don't blame me."<br>"You blame you. They don't."  
>"Just go home Grace. I don't need this shit. Not today."<br>She nodded, biting her lip hard. "Ok. Um…I'll see you tomorrow to help move?"  
>"Don't bother" he snapped at her.<br>"Ok…fine" she grabbed her bag from the corner of the room, leaving quickly, and walking home.

When she arrived home twenty minutes later she went straight up to her room slamming the door behind her. Leisha looked up as Grace stormed past her bedroom, giving her a couple of minutes before knocking on her sisters door.  
>"What?" her muffled voice yelled out through the pillow she was crying into.<br>Leisha opened the door, going in. "What's happened? What's he done?" she asked, knowing these were not the theatrical tears her younger sister had been known to throw on but that she was truly upset.  
>"Nothing… he's just pushing me away. He's pushing everyone away."<br>"Did he yell at you again?"  
>Grace nodded. "Third time this week" she whimpered. "He's moving tomorrow. He's not dealing with Matty's death at all." She sat up slowly, still hugging her pillow tightly. "I hate seeing him like this."<br>"Maybe you two need some space?" Leisha suggested.  
>Grace shook her head. "No. That's exactly what he doesn't need. It's not happening. At this point I'm all he's got."<br>"That's a lot of pressure on you."  
>"He needs me Leish."<p>

_"This isn't going to work Josh. I'm not letting you push me away as well. I love you and you're stuck with me, so stop being such a jerk." _She messaged him that night lying in bed, staring at her phone for five minutes before hitting send.  
>Her phone vibrated with his response seconds after she sent the message.<em> "I'm sorry I snapped at you. I love you too."<br>"I'm sorry I frustrate you. I just hate seeing you like this."  
>"You don't. I don't know what's going on anymore."<br>"It's ok. We'll talk tomorrow, get some sleep. I still love you. Pick me up at 7am? I want to help you move."  
>"I'll be out the front at 7. Sweet dreams Gracie."<br>"XOX"_

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><p>The following morning Grace was out the front in denim shorts and a loose fitting singlet top when Josh pulled up, her hair pulled back into a loose pony tail, yawning as she got into the car.<br>"Morning" she smiled "Excuse me" putting her hand over her mouth as she yawned again before leaning over to kiss his cheek, hugging him briefly.  
>"Hey. Thanks for this."<br>"You're not on your own here Josh. I might seem like the enemy but I'm not. I'm your girlfriend and I might argue with you but at the end of the day I'm going to support you. I don't agree with you on this, but if it's what you need to do then I'm going to help you."  
>He nodded, moving his hand to rest on her knee as she sat back, letting his actions speak the words he couldn't manage.<p>

"Thank God that is over" Grace sighed in exhaustion as she flopped backwards onto Josh's new but unmade bed.  
>Josh smiled at her as he walked over to join her, sitting on the side of the bed and putting his hand on her stomach where the singlet she had been wearing had rode up. "Thank you for your help."<br>"Help? I think you deliberately gave me all the heavy boxes" she teased moving her hands to hold his where it was. "I can help you unpack tomorrow?"  
>"Don't you have work…and assignments and stuff?"<br>"A five hour shift in the morning… And it's amazing just how much school work I got done last night when I was pissed off at you."  
>He smiled tracing a finger around her navel lightly. "You always work better when you're mad."<br>"That's not an invitation to bait me" she smiled, biting her lip as she looked up at him.  
>"You know…that's the first time you've teased me in a month?"<br>"Oh… sorry" she apologised, not one hundred percent sure where he was going with the comment getting ready to go back on the offence.  
>"No, it's good Grace. Everyone has been walking on eggshells around me, I just need to be treated like normal."<br>"Are you asking me to pay you out?" she smiled up at him sweetly.  
>"I'm saying don't let me win every argument. Don't apologise when you know you're right. Joke with me…I won't break if I laugh."<br>"Today has been nice…" she admitted, the two having worked hard all day, Grace not pushing Josh to talk about Matt all day and Josh having relaxed a little with her at times.  
>"It has. Gracie, I'm gonna be sad. But I have to keep living… and you have to start letting me."<br>"I'm still hearing this as 'Grace, give me shit'…is that right?" she smiled coyly, rolling onto her side to face him.  
>"You know I'll give it back. This is my fresh start Grace. I know you don't think this is a good idea…I know you're really against it. But the fact that you're still here…that you've put up with me yelling at you and that you've helped me move my stuff all day. It means a lot."<br>"I'm not going anywhere, she promised. "We're gonna fight. I'm a moody princess who doesn't like not getting her own way and you're a hot headed dickhead sometimes, but I'm always gonna come back to you and be there when it's important."  
>"Oh I'm a dickhead am I?"<br>"Sometimes" she smiled. "But I love you."  
>"I know you do" he leant down and kissed her lightly just below her hairline on her forehead.<p>

By the time Grace had finished work and walked to Josh's the following day his room was already unpacked, the bed made up and the room looking far more liveable than the night before when he'd driven Grace home.  
>"Wow…I'm impressed" she smiled. "Is there even anything left for me to do?"<br>"Nup" he smiled pulling her towards him to kiss her. "You've worked all morning…and all of yesterday… are you sore?" he rubbed his hands up and down her arms gently.  
>"My arms are pretty much dead weights…" she admitted, leaning into him. "Even muscles I didn't know I had hurt."<br>"I can help" he offered.  
>"Babe, I'm too tired to go for a run" she protested, wrapping her arms around him as she transferred more of her weight onto him gratefully.<br>"I was thinking more a massage?" he smiled kissing the top of her head.  
>"A massage? You?" she asked surprised. "Are you sure?"<br>He nodded. "C'mon," he guided her to the bed to sit down.  
>She looked up at him, still holding onto his hand before dropping it slowly, moving her hands down to unbutton her work blouse, revealing a simple white t-shirt bra underneath feeling a blush spread over her cheeks.<br>Josh visibly swallowed, reaching out to move the shirt off her shoulders, planting a kiss on her collarbone as he did. "You're beautiful Grace. Don't be nervous."  
>"You've seen less at the beach in my bikini…right?" she tried to reason.<br>"Yeah. Grace…I promise. It's just a massage…and if you're not comfortable we can stop."  
>"No…it's ok."<br>"Why don't you lie down then?"  
>She nodded, moving onto her belly.<br>Josh climbed onto the bed beside her, pouring a small amount of oil onto his hands, rubbing them together to warm them up before moving his hands to her, rubbing her lower back gently.  
>Grace let out a soft moan of content as he first touched her. "That smells good…when did you get that" she whispered, her body slowly relaxing as she got used to his touch. "You can take it off" she added as she felt the back of her bra being an obstacle to his hands.<br>"If you're more comfortable with it on…"  
>Grace shook her head, sitting up and slipping the bra off completely, putting it on the side of the bed before lying back down again. "I trust you….besides…I don't care…if it's just you."<br>"It's just a massage" he reaffirmed.  
>"And it feels really good….so less talk more rubbing," she smiled. "You're actually really good at this."<br>He laughed, kneading her back and shoulders for the next half an hour before kissing the back of her neck softly, kissing down her back a few times to signal that he'd finished before lying beside her.  
>"So if I vacuum your car out…do I get another one of them?" she asked lazily, turning her head to face him.<br>"Maybe. Feel better?"  
>She nodded. "Sleepy… but very…very attracted to you."<br>"Forget it."  
>She rolled onto her side, Josh catching his first proper look at her slightly swollen breasts as they appeared in front of him. "Why not?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.<br>"Your Dad will kill me."  
>"Who's gonna tell him?"<br>"You're underage."  
>"I'm close enough…and we both know I'm stubborn enough that I'm not going to do something I don't want to do."<br>"Not today Gracie" he reaffirmed.  
>"Tease" she pouted.<br>He kissed her softly. "Don't think for a second I don't want to… but not like this. The massage… it was no strings attached."  
>"You suck… totally totally suck" she whispered against his lips as she kissed him back.<br>"I know" he smiled running his fingers through her hair. "Soon, ok? Not now."  
>She nodded, moving closer so she was resting against his chest. "I'm comfortable…I'm not moving…"<br>"I know you're not. Have a nap? I'm not moving either."  
>"Mmmmm sounds good" she murmured, falling asleep in his arms.<p>

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><p>Thanks for reading and please, if you like what you're seeing let me know :) It might just be the motivation I need to post the next chapter on Saturday or Sunday.<p> 


	14. Chapter 14

Well I aimed for getting this out on Sunday night but I got a little bit held up at the pub last night catching up with friends so I apologise, but you're still getting three chapters in one week so I hope you'll forgive me.

I won't waffle on today. Just Enjoy :) 

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><p><strong>Once we were young<strong>  
><strong>Chapter 14<strong>

Grace knocked on Josh's front door on a Thursday night after touch training six weeks later. She smiled when Sean, one of Josh's flat mates opened the front door.  
>"Hey…. Is Josh home yet?"<br>He shook his head, opening the door anyway. "Narh, he's got footy tonight right?"  
>"Yeah, he finishes at six so he should be home soon."<br>"Did you want to wait for him?"  
>"Yeah that'd be good. Thanks" she smiled entering the house sitting down on the lounge while Sean went back to his room.<br>He stuck his head back in the lounge-room a few minutes later "I'm heading over to a mates" he held up a six pack. "Help yourself to the contents of the fridge if you're thirsty. Will you be right here? I think Robbie's home."  
>"I'm good. Thanks Seany. Have a good one."<br>Grace flicked on the TV as he left, flicking around until she found a football game on, lying down on the lounge to watch it, being about ten minutes in when she looked up to see another of Josh's flatmates Robbie staring at her. "Sorry Robbie, did you want this?" she offered, sitting up and thrusting the remote out towards him.  
>He took a step closer to her, but didn't take the remote.<br>"You right?" she checked cautiously, studying his face.  
>"I'm good. Where's Josh?"<br>"He's at footy…he'll be home any minute" she quickly tacked the last part onto her sentence.  
>"He's a funny guy."<br>"How so?" Grace asked, wearily.  
>"He doesn't say much."<br>"And your point is?"  
>"If I had a girl as hot as you….I would be telling the world."<br>"So he respects women" she shrugged. "What is your point."  
>"You're gorgeous Grace" he sat down on the lounge beside her.<br>Grace shook her head, moving closer to the edge. "Give it a rest Robbie."  
>He reached out, resting his hand on her knee.<br>She shook her head more vigorously, standing up. "Touch me again and I'll tell Josh."  
>"That's not necessary…"<br>"Isn't it?" she raised her eyebrows. "Come near me again and I can assure you my boyfriend won't be so 'funny' while he's tearing your head off." She walked out of the room, going up to Josh's bedroom to wait for him.

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><p>When Josh arrived home a few minutes later, Robbie was still lying on the lounge. "Grace is over, she's in your room" he mumbled as Josh came in.<br>"Thanks mate" he flung his bag over his shoulder and went down the hall to his room, opening the door. "Hey babe."  
>Grace jumped as the door opened. "Oh hey, you're home! Sorry, Sean let me in before he went out."<br>Josh went over to her, wrapping his arms around her "You ok?" he checked, pressing his lips against the top of her head.  
>"Yeah yeah, just scared me. How was training?"<br>"Good…I need a shower though. You sure you're alright?"  
>She nodded, kissing him on the cheek. "Fine. I won't stay long…I'm pretty tired."<br>"Gracie? What's happened?"  
>"Noth-" she kissed him quickly on the lips "-ing" she finished kissing him again. "Go and have a shower, you smell."<br>"So do you. How was touch?"  
>"We won. We played well."<br>"That's my girl," he smiled.  
>Grace laughed. "Can you please go and shower babe? You're disgusting."<br>"You're muddy too!"  
>"Well I can't exactly shower here can I?"<br>"Go on. I'll give you a t-shirt and shorts to wear…maybe I should give you a drawer to keep some stuff in?"  
>"Isn't that what grown up couples do… for the morning after?"<br>"Maybe. But you're here all the time, I want you to be able to shower and change after a run, not stink out my doona."  
>"Excuse me! A. I do not stink. And B. You're a boy, you don't care if your doona stinks….especially if it stinks of me" she protested laughing, wrapping her arms back around him. "Now you smell even worse" she laughed.<br>He laughed holding her tightly "As if I give a damn. Go on, you have first shower I'll find you something to wear ."  
>"Thanks" she kissed him softly. "I'll be quick." Grace showered quickly, coming out in a towel before running from bathroom back into his room shutting his bedroom door quickly behind her. "Your flatmates don't need to see this" she explained, laughing.<br>He laughed, "You have a towel on" he threw her some boxer shorts and a t-shirt. "Will they do?"  
>She nodded pulling them on modestly. "They're comfy….pretty sure these are my new PJ's."<br>"You look hot" he grinned moving towards her.  
>"No no no no NO you don't. You are still sweaty and stinky…. I am nice and clean. You're not touching me again until you shower" she squealed running to the other side of the room.<br>Josh grinned "You are such a girl."  
>"Yep" she nodded, grinning back. "Goooooo" she whined.<br>"Ok I'm going" he put his hands up in defeat, still laughing as he walked to the bathroom.

Grace was lying on his bed reading through an essay she'd scrawled in a note pad while she was waiting around for touch to begin when the bedroom door opened. Looking up she cringed. "Get out Robbie."  
>Robbie walked into the room anyway, holding up a pizza menu. "Cute outfit. I'm ordering, did you want any?"<br>"No. We're fine. Get out of Josh's room."  
>"Grace, you've misunderstood."<br>"No I haven't. I said get out Robbie."  
>"Excuse me, I don't see you paying any rent here darling. I have more of a right to be in here than you do."<br>Grace rolled her eyes. "Are you serious? You think that's going to convince me to let you get away with intimidating me? Get out Robbie."  
>"You look pretty cute in those shorts. Bet you'd look even cuter without them…"<br>"Get. OUT" she repeated, getting up.  
>"Relax, geez" Robbie laughed as Josh walked back into the room.<br>"What are you doing in here Robbie? Everything ok?" he asked turning to Grace who nodded.  
>"Robbie was just asking if we wanted to order pizza with him for dinner. I told him we were right."<br>"Pizza does sound good" Josh reasoned.  
>Grace nodded walking over to Josh, running her hand down his bare chest before cuddling into him. "You'll get a belly if you keep eating takeaway. You should let me cook?"<br>"Nothing to cook babe. Pizza sounds good tonight, come over on Saturday and we'll do a shop and you can teach me how to cook then."  
>"I don't want pizza Josh" she told him firmly, emotion high in her voice as she let go of him, grabbing her comb from her bag and going to run it through her hair in the bathroom mirror.<p>

Grace went back to his room only seconds after Robbie left, pulling the door closed behind her.  
>"What happened then Grace?" Josh asked once the door was closed.<br>"Nothing."  
>"Gracie…." He sat her down on the bed. "You don't get upset over Pizza."<br>"I just don't like him… that's all."  
>"What did he do?" he asked again.<br>"It's under control Josh."  
>He shook his head, his face going red with rage, standing up. "He did do something. I'll kill him."<br>"Josh, no…please just sit down."  
>"Grace if he's done anything to you I will kill him."<br>She shook her head. "I'm ok. Please…take a breath and calm down. I promise I'm fine."  
>He nodded walking back over to her. "Tell me what happened. Please Gracie."<br>"Sit down and I'll tell you" she told him. He sat back on the bed still red, and she reached out for his hands before continuing. "It's not a big deal, OK? I'm a big girl and I can look after myself. "  
>"I'll be the judge of that."<br>Grace raised her eyebrows "You do anything to defend my honour without my permission and I will walk out of here Josh."  
>"Tell me." He repeated, squeezing her hands.<br>She nodded. "He just creeps me out Josh. Sean let me in this afternoon and then he went out and Robbie came out. He was acting really weird, and then he told me I was gorgeous… and then he touched me."  
>Josh tensed up, going an even brighter shade of red. "He touched you…"<br>"Just on the leg. I got straight up and told me if he came near me again I'd tell you and you'd rip his head off."  
>"Too right I will."<br>She shook her head, moving closer to him. "No…I don't want you too. It's not going to be a problem….it's not like you're ever going to leave me alone with him again."  
>"Never! Are you ok? Did he hurt you?"<br>"I'm fine" she kissed his cheek. "I promise you I am fine. He came back in when you were in the shower and just offered some bullshit excuse about me misunderstanding until I yelled at him enough times to get out of your room."  
>Josh wrapped his arms around her tightly. "I don't like this Grace. This is my house…I want you to feel safe here. I don't want some dickhead looking at you, let alone touching you."<br>"I do. It's not that big a deal. I'm tougher than I look."  
>"No, you think you are."<br>She laughed. "Maybe. I'm tougher than you."  
>"Give it a rest" he smiled, kissing her softly. "I'm never gonna let anything happen to you."<br>"I know that…" she looked up at him. "Please don't do anything dumb Josh."  
>"Narh, I won't. You're stubborn enough that I believe you when you say you'd walk away."<br>"He's not worth getting evicted for" she sighed, lying back onto the mattress. "Just don't leave me alone in a room with him?"  
>"Never again" he promised, lying down beside her. "How about we go get our own pizza and eat at the park?"<br>She shook her head "I really should get home. I just wanted to say hi on my way home. I've missed you the last few days." Both Grace and Josh had had busy weeks with school and sport and had actually made it to Thursday from the Sunday afternoon without seeing each other at all, a challenge for both of them.  
>"Me too" he pressed his thumb against her nose. "How about you come and stay Saturday night?"<br>"Mum and Dad will never let me. They've laid down the rules about you having your own place, and that means no sleepovers" she frowned.  
>"I will sleep on the floor" he offered.<br>She shook her head. "I don't think they'd believe that. I could tell them I'm staying at Alana's."  
>"Wouldn't they check?"<br>"Probably, I'll talk to them?"  
>"You don't have to. I know you're still on probation since Matty's funeral."<br>Grace shook her head. "It's still worth asking. Who knows….maybe they'll be drunk and say yes" she laughed reaching out to play with the hairs on Josh's still bare chest.  
>He put an arm around her gently. "You sure you're ok?" he asked quietly.<br>She nodded, "Am now. Always feel safe when I'm with you" she smiled. "We still have Michael's party tomorrow night right?"  
>"Yeah….if you wanna do something else we can?"<br>"No way." Grace shook her head. "I wanna meet your friends. They probably think you've made me up" she laughed.  
>He laughed, "Narh if I was gonna make up a girlfriend I'd make up one who didn't whinge so much" he teased.<br>"Me? Whinge?" she laughed. "Feel free to go out with Alana for a couple of days….or any of my friends. You'll come crawling back to me I bet, going "_Oh Gracie I'm so lucky to have you"_." _  
><em>Josh rolled his eyes. "You're just lucky I love you, whinging and all."  
>"I don't whinge!"<br>"You're whinging about not whinging" he laughed.  
>Grace groaned. "Shut upppp. Or I'll whine."<br>He laughed. "You do that well too."  
>She elbowed him in the ribs laughing. "I better go."<br>"I'll drive you home."  
>"It's OK, I can walk it's daylight savings it's light."<br>"Yeah I know, but I'll run you home anyway." He sat up with her, Grace quickly pulling her touch shorts back on before accepting the lift home.

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><p>As usual your thoughts are much appreciated. Thank you so much to the people who have been leaving reviews, I know I'm not the best author so knowing what people like and don't like will hopefully help me improve.<p> 


	15. Chapter 15

Good Afternoon

Happy Long Weekend to those of you getting one this weekend; I hope you're all keeping warm. I woke to a very sick child this morning so it's going to be a very quiet weekend starting with four hours of the best netball in the world in the form of the ANZ Championships.

This is only a short chapter so if I am motivated enough you may get another one tomorrow. Enjoy.

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><p><strong>Once we were Young<strong>  
><strong>Chapter 15<strong>

Later that night Grace went downstairs in her pyjamas to catch her parents as their tv show finished. "Mum, Dad, have you got a sec?"  
>"Of course baby, what's up?" he Dad flicked the television off as the credits rolled.<br>"I wanted to talk to you about Josh."  
>Her mother rolled her eyes. "What about him?"<br>"Mum, I'm trying to be an adult here and actually talk to you about this. If you're going to be like that I'm just going to sneak off and do whatever I like again" she snapped.  
>Mr Reid shook his head at his wife. "That's a fair point. What about Josh, Grace?"<br>"I want to start staying at his place overnight."  
>"Absolutely not" he replied without a second thought.<br>"No, hear me out" she protested. "We aren't going to DO anything. We have never done anything. Even when I stayed after Matty died…we just slept. Mum…Dad…I love him. And when we are ready to have sex; you not letting me stay over isn't actually going to stop us. You both know that."  
>"We're both aware of that Grace, but we're not exactly going to encourage it either" her mother remarked.<br>"I know you don't like him, but you have to trust me on this. My grades haven't slipped since we got together and I'm playing just as much sport and I'm working more shifts than before. I'm happy. Can't you see that he makes me a thousand times happier than Conor ever did? Mum, we are not living in a fantasy land here. My boyfriend just lost his brother. He's moved out. We have argued. We have cried. I have dealt with more adult situations here than any of my siblings ever have so you need to start cutting me some slack and realise I am actually in a grown up relationship here. I'm fifteen. Josh and I have a bigger commitment to each other than Chris does to his girlfriend and you let him have her over to stay all the time."  
>"He's a boy Grace. It's different" her father explained.<br>"How is it? Because Josh is only in this to score?" she laughed. "Dad, three weeks ago I pretty much begged Josh to sleep with me. And he wouldn't. He knew I was tired. He knows that I am underage. He knew that I wasn't actually ready and was caught up in the moment and he stopped me. If he was in this to score I'm pretty sure we would have slept together six months ago, because, you know what? If he asked I probably would."  
>Mrs Reid cringed. "Grace, that's enough. You shouldn't be discussing relations."<br>"Why not? This is what it's all about, isn't it? I am a good daughter. I do everything right. The only time I have ever disobeyed you is when Matty died and as far as I am concerned, you were being unreasonable and I would do that again in a split second if I thought I needed too. I am asking you if I can sleep over at Josh's house. Not sleep with him. Sleep over. He even offered to sleep on the floor if it made a difference. We just want to spend time together."  
>"He's not right for you Grace" her mother intervened again.<br>"He's perfect Mum. I know you've had me in your grand plan, married off to Conor since we were kids, but it's not going to happen. Ever. Josh is the one person on this planet who tells me to pull my head in or snap out of it if I am being unreasonable. None of you do. He pulls me up on my flaws and no one else has ever had the guts to do that. He pushes me when we train. He would protect me even if it meant he got hurt doing so. He loves me and I know and feel that every time I am with him. I know you think this is just a fad but it's not. I look five, ten years into the future and I still see myself with him. I can't imagine him not being in my life but Mum, even if Josh & I did split up…I am not going back to Conor. I don't want to be a housewife, or a socialite…I want to work and have fun. If I wake up and all I do is pull my hair back into a pony tail then I want a partner who is going to think that's just as gorgeous as a face full of makeup and an expensive dress. Conor's a lovely guy ok, I know that. But he's not meant for me."  
>Mr Reid watched her face as she finished her speech, nodding at her. "We'll think about it Grace. But there would be rules."<br>She nodded in relief. "Thank you," she kissed him on the cheek. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight."  
>He smiled. "Goodnight sweetheart. Sleep tight."<p>

"She's not sleeping over there" her mother spoke as soon as Grace had left the room. "I don't trust him."  
>"You hardly know him Cara."<br>"Woman's instinct."  
>He shook his head. "What about Grace's instinct? We have raised a very smart girl… if he was as bad as you think he is she would have broken up with him by now."<br>"Lust is blind. He's filled her head with daydreams and fantasies about the grass being greener on the other side. Our daughter is smart but even smart girls can be manipulated."  
>"We don't have much choice… you know she will go anyway. Aleisha always did."<br>"Leisha was always naughty. We just ground her from sleep overs in general if we can't trust her."  
>"And if we do that…she's going to be sixteen in a few weeks. She can legally move out of home then. What if she decides to move in with him? She'd know that as well. Josh is only seventeen and he's done it."<br>"Grace would never move out of home" she stated, mortified at the thought.  
>"She might. She's stubborn enough. And I'd much rather her live here and visit him then her live there all the time."<br>"Fine. But I'm not happy about this."  
>"Neither am I, but we need to let her make her own mistakes. She really does seem to care about him…and she did make some good points."<p>

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><p>"Grace?" her father called her into the kitchen when he heard her up the next morning. "Your mother and I talked last night and we're going to let you start sleeping over at Josh's house."<br>Grace squealed, hugging him tightly. "Thank you thank you thank you."  
>He laughed hugging her back. "There are rules though…"<br>She nodded taking a step back. "Yep?"  
>"Protection… Grace none of us want to have this conversation, but promise me you will make sure you both always use protection."<br>"Dad…." Grace blushed. "I meant what I said, we're really not sleeping together."  
>"That's fine. I believe you. But when it happens…be safe. And your mother…she wants to take you to the doctors to get on the pill."<br>"That's not necessary" Grace shook her head.  
>"Grace, it's not up for discussion. You might not be engaging in intercourse yet but when the time comes neither your mother or I want you to take any chances."<br>"Yeah… I won't. I'm already on it."  
>"You are? Why would you be on it Grace?"<br>"Leisha made me go when Conor and I were going out. I've been on it for a while…"  
>"Great. Am I the last to know these things?" he shook his head.<br>"It's not exactly a conversation you have with your father… it's kinda awkward Dad" she pulled a face. "But still easier than with Mum" she added with a laugh.  
>He nodded. "Yeah ok…well you…do that then. Just make sure…"<br>She nodded awkwardly "Yep. I um...better get to school. I'll see you tonight Dad. Love you."

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><p>Grace called Josh on her way to school. "Guess what?"<br>"You're dropping out of school to join the circus?" Josh guessed.  
>She laughed. "No you idiot. But I do have permission to start sleeping over at your house."<br>"What?" he asked shocked. "How the hell did you get that Gracie? They hate me."  
>"I don't think Mum's happy about it…Dad told me this morning. Then spoke to me about other stuff…it got a bit awkward," She laughed. "But basically it's a yes to Saturday night."<br>"That's the best news Gracie."  
>"I know. Look…I gotta go…I'm running late but I will see you tonight?"<br>"Yeah. I can pick you up?"  
>"It's only a block away, I'll meet you there I might be late."<br>"Sounds good… Have a good day."  
>"You too. See ya tonight."<p>

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><p>As usual, please hit the big blue button at the bottom of the screen and write a review if you like what you're seeing :)<p> 


	16. Chapter 16

Here is Chapter 16. There will be a slight hiatus from this story from the end of next week as I am going away for a couple of weeks but I will try and get another chapter or two up before I leave to tide you over.

Thank you to those who have been reviewing for your feedback; particularly to K and qwerty. I really appreciate it and it's good to know this is generally being well received.

To abc I am sorry you don't like the story but if you could be more constructive in your criticism it would be appreciated- alternatively if it is that bad (and yet you still read through 40 000 odd words to get to chapter 15) then I suggest you read other stories available on the website as there are some really amazing pieces around, I can recommend some amazing authors if you'd like. I'm happy for negative comments, but the only way I am going to get better is if you tell me what you don't like.

Anyway I am off my high horse now; you're not here to read my personal ramblings but I did feel I needed to address the last review I received.

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><p><strong>Once we were Young<strong>

**Chapter 16**

Michael Sandrelli was finally turning seventeen. The youngest of this group of friends, Michael frequently resented this fact. He knew that this year it didn't matter so much, but in the next couple of months his friends would start to turn eighteen and hated the fact that they would be able to go out without him. Which was why Michael was determined to throw the best birthday party he could think of, having talked his parents into supplying a keg and multiple cases of pre mixed 'chick' drinks as well as litres of goon, Michael was confident that the alcohol was enough to produce a night worthy of talk throughout the school for the next six weeks.

"Josh, mate. You made it." He swung the door open greeting his school friend.  
>"Yep. Sounds good..." he grinned at the music pumping.<br>"I thought you said you were bringing Grace?" desperately wanting as many people, and as many females at his party as he could.  
>"Yeah she's on her way. She had netball this afternoon so is running a bit behind. She's ah…got you our card and that shit."<br>Michael laughed. "Well come in…and mingle. Mum'll be out soon with food."  
>"You're making your Mum cater?" Josh raised his eyebrows in amusement.<br>"Mate she insisted. She's a good cook!"  
>"Whatever" he laughed heading into the house.<p>

Forty Five minutes later Grace could hear the music the second she walked into the street. Laughing she knocked on the door.  
>"Grace, hi!" Michael gave her a hug.<br>"Well if it isn't the sore loser" she teased, still on his back whenever she saw him about the cross country. "Happy Birthday" she thrust a card and a gift bag into his hands. "You having a good night?"  
>"Yeah it's gonna be great. Come in? Josh is in here somewhere."<br>"Yeah I know, I ran a bit late but he's a big boy. I'm sure he's found something to occupy himself with" she laughed entering the house. "Nice place you've got here."  
>"Yeah it's not bad. Have a good night I'll catch up with you soon."<br>She nodded going in looking around the room for Josh, spotting him and going over to him and a group of people. "Hey" she smiled, slipping in beside him in skinny jeans and a sequined singlet, having straightened her hair and actually wearing makeup for once.  
>"Hey beautiful," he kissed the top of her hair, slipping an arm around her waist. "Did you want a drink?"<br>"Soon. Hey I'm Grace" she introduced herself to the people Josh was standing with, talking with them for the next fifteen minutes, before excusing herself to get a drink.  
>"I'll come with ya" Josh kept his arm around her, following her over to the table. "You look great Grace."<br>"Thanks" she kissed him softly in a proper greeting.  
>He smiled and kept his arms around her. "Are you sure we have to stay?"<br>"Yes. Positive. It won't hurt us to socialise for a few hours" she laughed. "Besides, we can have just us tomorrow night."  
>"I'm looking forward to that" he agreed, leaning in to kiss her again.<br>"Alright…enough. You keep that up and we'll end up in Michaels room making out…."  
>He grinned, kissing her once more. "You make that sound like a bad thing."<br>"Michael probably jacks off in there every night" she smiled casually. "You really want to go there? On that bed?"  
>"Aww Grace!" Josh groaned. "Why did you say that. Ew. Ruined the moment completely."<br>She laughed, moving out of his arms going to get herself a drink.  
>Josh followed her to the table, slipping his hand into hers.<br>Grace grabbed a cruiser and turned back to Josh, squeezing his hand. "So…" flashing him a casual smile "Are you being overprotective after what happened last night or do you just want to let everyone in this room know that you're with the hot chick who just walked in?" she asked him playing with his fingers.  
>"Sprung" he laughed softly. "A bit of both. Do you want me to let go?"<br>She shook her head. "Nup. I like it. We haven't done much of this," she gestured to the party. "It's nice to be out as a couple."  
>"Time to have some fun?"<br>"Think we've earned it" she kissed him once more before going back over to his friends, easily socialising with them despite having only just met them, dragging Josh into conversations more than he normally would. Josh coming out of his shell a little more with Grace around, but more comfortable sitting back and watching her talk.

"Did you want another drink?" she offered him, jumping up off the couch half an hour later.  
>"Love one, thanks. Are you having another?"<br>She nodded. "Only one more. I have to play netball tomorrow afternoon and I will be shot if I am hung over" she laughed going to grab the drinks.  
>"She's not as prissy as I thought she was" Michael remarked as she left the group.<br>"Pick your next words very carefully" one of the girls in the group warned him, looking at Josh.  
>Josh laughed "Michael's just cut up because Grace is the GIRL that beat him at regionals."<br>"That's her?" the same girl remarked, laughing. "You still whinge about that."  
>"Sure is her" Josh grinned, looking proud. "And she's even better now."<br>"Gonna beat you soon" Grace teased, plopping down on the ground in front of the lounge, passing Josh his beer before leaning back in between his legs.  
>"That's a pretty big call" another girl commented. "Josh is pretty good."<br>"Yeah but I have feminine powers which I can use to distract him" Grace laughed, running her fingers up and down his leg flirtatiously.  
>The other girls laughed. "Is that what you did to Michael?" one asked, trying to keep a straight face.<br>She shook her head. "Narh, he pissed me off before the race. I was always going to beat him." She grinned.  
>"….You heard us" Michael realised, groaning. "Hang on, you heard us and you're still going out with Josh?"<br>"Pretty sure it was only you" she laughed. "And then you ignored me, too busy sulking. It's ok. I've forgiven you."  
>"It's my birthday; you've got to be nice."<br>"We'll see" she grinned opening her own drink.

After four hours Josh turned to Grace, "How are you going? It's nearly midnight I should probably walk you home."  
>She pulled a face but nodded. "I guess."<br>"You can stay here," Michael offered, only about ten people left at the party, most having stumbled home drunk as the night progressed. "Mum set up the spare and my sisters not home…and then there's the lounge and floor. Josh is staying."  
>Grace looked at Josh, "Ummm…"<br>"Call your parents?" he suggested.  
>"Narh, I told them I might be staying at yours anyway. I didn't know what we were doing. Are you ok with me staying though? You don't want to hang out with your friends?"<br>He gave her a look. "Did you seriously just ask that?" he pulled her into his side. "Since when have I ever not wanted to be with you?"  
>Grace laughed kissing his cheek. "Alright then… thanks Michael, sounds good."<br>"Take the spare if you want to?" he offered.  
>"It's ok. I'm alright on the floor."<br>"Narh Gracie take the bed. We're so pissed we won't even know we're on the floor" one of the other girls laughed, having another mouthful of her drink.  
>"Thanks."<p>

It was another hour before Grace turned back to Josh rubbing his leg. "I'm going to bed."  
>"I'll come with ya" he got up, helping her up.<br>"Have fun you guys" Michael grinned. "Try and keep the noise down…"  
>"Hilarious" Grace rolled her eyes.<br>"So you two are sleeping together then?"  
>Josh put his arm around Graces shoulders. "Piss off, that's none of your business."<br>"They haven't stopped touching all night. Of course they are" one of the girls laughed.  
>"Lucky they're not in my sisters' room... that'd be wrong." Michael pulled a face.<br>Grace grabbed Josh's arm, pulling him towards the room. "Don't bite" she mumbled having felt him tense up.  
>"He's a dick sometimes."<br>"He's drunk and he's single. We're strangely committed….they don't get it and like you said, it's none of their business," she shut the door behind them, pushing a chair up against it.  
>"What's the chair for?"<br>"Well…if they're anything like my friends they're gonna think it's very funny to break in and attack our sleeping forms" she laughed. "Precautions my lover."  
>Josh grinned, "See…you're not just a pretty face," he kissed her softly.<br>"I…I wasn't expecting this tonight. I thought tomorrow would be our first night sharing a bed… first night since the caravan anyway."  
>"Are you ok with it?"<br>"Yeah… Just not what I had in my head."  
>"Well tomorrows our date night. Tonight is just us finding somewhere to sleep. Does that help?"<br>Grace nodded. "I don't know why I'm being funny with it."  
>"You're nervous?"<br>"I think so. Last time just happened, you needed me to be there….you wouldn't have known if I drooled on your shoulder or if I kicked you in your sleep. You just needed me. This time it's our choice. It's different."  
>"I'm sleeping on the floor tonight."<br>"What? No Josh" she shook her head. "No."  
>"It's fine…no arguments."<br>"We can share."  
>"Gracie, I'm just glad you're gonna be around when I wake up in the morning. We can share tomorrow night."<br>She shook her head, "You're being a dickhead. Get in."  
>"Nup" he pulled a face pulling the doona and a pillow off the bed, setting it up on the floor.<br>"Josh, get into bed" she groaned throwing the other pillow at him.  
>"It's fine."<br>"Brendan" she warned, rolling off the bed and onto the doona on the floor. "I will sleep here with you if I have to."  
>He leant over her, pinning her under his arm before kissing her. "Alright…but if you kick me you're the one on the floor."<br>"Mmmmm geddeoffme" she mumbled with a laugh pushing him off her. "Get into bed you idiot" she instructed, getting up after him dragging the doona and pillows back onto the bed. "And keep it down or they will think we're up to something in here" she laughed climbing on top of him in the bed.  
>Josh laughed pushing her off him so she was on the other side rolling onto his side to put his arm around her. "You sure you're alright with this?" he double checked, reaching a finger out to gently touch her nose.<br>She nodded firmly. "Nothing feels more right" she confirmed cuddling into his chest. "Ah Josh" Grace pulled back slightly after a minute of silence.  
>"What?"<br>"The light" she smiled up at him sweetly. "You should get that."  
>Josh laughed getting up to flick the light off, Grace flicking on the bedside lamp for him to make his way back over to the bed. Josh slipped his shirt off as he climbed back into bed.<br>"Gimme that" Grace put her hand out for it, quickly removing her singlet and bra throwing Josh's shirt on and kicking her jeans off. "Much more comfortable" she smiled. "Those sequins would drive both of us crazy all night."  
>Josh smiled at her, slipping his own jeans off down to a pair of briefs.<br>"That's cruel" Grace protested. "First shirtless and now that…. And you expect me to sleep."  
>He kissed her forehead lightly, reaching over her to flick the lamp off. "Goodnight beautiful."<br>Grace cuddled back into his now bare chest. "Goodnight Josh."

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><p>Well that's it for another chapter; I'll aim for another chapter up on the weekend.<p>

In the meantime feel free to click the big blue button and tell me what you think. Happy for the negatives but would prefer constructive critism not just plain nastiness.


	17. Chapter 17

Good Afternoon All,

My apologies for the hiatus with this story. I went away for what I'd planned to be 12 nights but ended up being away from home for a significantly longer period. No complaints though Got to make the most of my holidays while I've got them. Unfortunately due to this I have not managed to get anywhere near as much writing done as planned. After this chapter things may slow down for a bit as I am no longer as far along in this as I would like to be.

Thank you to those of you who have given feedback and have messaged me to check that I am still alive. Hopefully this chapter will be worth the wait.

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><p><strong>Once we were Young<strong>

**Chapter 17**

"Mmm hello. Didn't expect to see you here this morning" Grace smiled kissing him hello as Josh showed up five minutes before she was due on court for netball the following day.  
>"Got out of work early. Thought you might like a cheer squad."<br>"Oh so you've got no assignments to do this weekend then?" she teased cuddling into his side, shivering in her short dress.  
>Josh rubbed her arms sheltering her from the wind. "It's spring. It shouldn't be this cold."<br>"It hasn't been, it's just the wind. I better go back over…but I don't wanna"  
>He laughed kissing the top of her head and letting go of her giving her a push in the right direction. "Good luck."<p>

"I am going home to shower" she kissed him softly after the game an hour later. "What time do you want me to come over tonight?"  
>"You can shower at mine Grace."<br>She shook her head. "Narh I've got to grab some things. What did you want for dinner?"  
>"Surprise me?" he laughed.<br>"Sounds good." She grinned at him.  
>"Just come over when you're ready."<p>

Grace headed straight for the kitchen once she got home, fumbling through recipe books for a while before she found what she wanted, scribbling the recipe out on some scrap paper.  
>"What are you doing?" her mother asked as she entered the kitchen. "You're all sweaty from netball Grace! Don't you shower anymore?"<br>Grace laughed. "Nan's lasagne recipe… I'm giving Josh a cooking lesson."  
>"You?" her mother laughed. "Grace you could do with a few lessons yourself."<br>"I'm not that bad… I'm better than him" she laughed. "He can cook steak and that's about it…and even then he massacres it. And I CAN cook lasagne."  
>"That you can. Grace… "<br>"What?"  
>"Just be careful alright. And call us if you ever get into any trouble.."<br>She nodded. "Of course. I'll be ok Mum. Josh was gonna sleep on the floor last night, he knew I was having second thoughts so he insisted on sleeping on the floor until I convinced him that I was ok to sleep beside him. I am his priority Mum. He's a good guy."  
>"So you keep saying."<br>"Maybe I could invite him for dinner one night? You could meet him properly."  
>"I'll think about it."<br>Grace nodded. "Ok," she put the books back in the cupboard. "I'm gonna go have a shower."

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><p>Two hours later Grace was showered and dressed in a simple patterned sundress, having curled her hair loosely so it fell around her face and wearing minimal makeup, walking to Josh's place with an overnight and grocery bags in her hands, knocking on his front door.<br>"Seany" she grinned as he opened it. "Josh home?"  
>Sean nodded, "Go on through".<br>Josh stuck his head out hearing the knock coming up behind Sean. "I'm here. Wow…you look amazing."  
>She grinned at him, standing on her toes and kissing him. "Thought I'd make an effort."<br>"It worked" he kissed her back.  
>"I brought dinner" she held up the bags. "It needs to go into the fridge until you're ready to cook it."<br>"Oh I'm cooking am I?" he smiled.  
>"You're learning. I will help you if you're nice to me."<br>"Please?" he asked with a smile.  
>She nodded, taking the bags through to the kitchen and putting them away.<br>Sean followed them into the kitchen. "You've told her the rules right Josh?"  
>"What rules would they be Seany?" Grace laughed.<br>"The 'if someone cooks something decent then they have to share' rule."  
>Grace rolled her eyes. "He forgot to tell me that but lucky for you there should be plenty."<p>

The two spent the next hour in the kitchen, Grace doing the majority of the cooking but making Josh cut things up and help, finally getting the lasagne into the oven about six o'clock.  
>"So what now?" Josh laughed, moving towards her to wipe some sauce off her nose, licking his finger before putting his arms around her waist and holding her to him.<br>She smiled up at him, "We wait. It'll take about forty minutes to cook so we have forty minutes to waste."  
>"But I'm hungry now" he whined.<br>Grace laughed kissing him. "I can have a go at distracting you?" she offered, interrupted as Robbie entered the room, resting her forehead against his feeling Josh's arms wrap tightly around her as Robbie grabbed a drink from the fridge, waiting for him to leave before moving back.  
>"C'mon let's go to your room."<p>

Grace put her duffel bag on his bed once they got into his room. "You cleaned up" she noted with a smile, looking around at the rarely tidy room.  
>"Well it's not every day I have a pretty girl coming to stay."<br>She blushed slightly. "Were you serious about me leaving some things here?"  
>Josh nodded. "I don't want you to have to run home to change if you want to stay. You can have one of those drawers," he gestured to a chest of them. "So what rules did your parents give you?"<br>Grace laughed. "Where do I begin? No sleepovers on school nights. I have to call them if I am staying here. When we do have sex we have to use protection…and I have to be on the pill…which I already am," she whispered.  
>"You are?"<br>She nodded. "I've been on it for a while…just in case. Are you ready?"  
>"To have sex?"<br>"Yeah?" she asked.  
>"Yeah…when the time comes I am ready. I love you…and I want to make love to you. But the most important thing is that it happens when we are both ready…and I would wait for you forever."<br>Grace smiled, reaching out for and squeezing his hands. "I'm almost ready. Not tonight…but soon. Tonight I just want to be close to you."  
>"No, not tonight" he agreed. "You're sixteen soon… how about we wait until then?"<br>"If you're worried about my parents going after you…it's not going to happen. I'd deny you ever touched me…besides they wouldn't because they know that if they did I probably wouldn't ever go back there."  
>"It's not just that" he smiled. "It just gives us a bit more time."<br>"For you to enjoy my hair in your mouth while you sleep?" she laughed. "You held me so close last night you must have got a mouthful" she added with a smile, still holding his hands as she turned her body to sit on the bed. "When it happens it happens. I'm not going to stress over it and I certainly don't want to put a date on it."

Grace smiled at Josh later than night when she came back from the bathroom in a dressing gown. "My laptops in the bag…I threw some DVD's in if you want them."  
>He grinned at her getting back up off the bed, "Sounds good" he grabbed it out setting it up on the end of the bed. "Whoa…" he trailed off when he turned back around to see Grace had removed her dressing gown, in a short white chemise over her panties, obviously not wearing a bra. "Gracie…"<br>She smiled looking a little nervous. "You like?"  
>"You look amazing… Grace… I promised I'd keep my hands off you."<br>She laughed walking over to him, wrapping her arms around him. "No…you promised no sex. I am your girlfriend…you can touch if you want to."  
>"You're going to drive me crazy."<br>"Is it too much?" she checked, leaning back to look up at him.  
>"Absolutely" he laughed. "But I love it" he ran his fingers down the soft material covering her back.<br>"I can change?" she offered.  
>He pulled her closer to him, "No way. Stay right here."<br>Grace smiled leaning back in against his chest. "I got it last week…I was going to save it…but I couldn't resist celebrating our first proper night together. It's just a nightie really…"  
>"Not like my Mum's nighties babe" he kissed her softly. "You sure you want to do that movie?"<br>She nodded, moving away from him she grabbed a pile of DVD's out of his bag. "You're choice…" she offered, not having anything too involved in the selection. While Josh put one in, Grace locked the door and sat back on the bed, cuddling into his side as the movie started, lasting ten minutes or so in before she kissed his chin lightly, smiling up at him.  
>"What?" he grunted. "You are such a tease…" he slipped one arm from around her to tilt her face up towards him, kissing her softly. "You love me not being able to resist you."<br>She nodded "Yep."  
>He moved further down the bed so he was laying on his side, pulling her with him before kissing her properly, his tongue gently pressing past her lips to meet hers as his hands moved up the front of the satin resting on her breasts, Grace letting out a small moan of pleasure. "God Gracie…" he groaned against her lips. "I'm not superman…"<br>She moved back from his mouth briefly moving her hands under his pyjama top. "You don't normally sleep with a shirt on do you?" Josh shook his head in response. Grace just smiled, slipping her hands further up his torso, lifting the shirt off, nuzzling in against his bare chest. "You smell good," she smiled satisfied.  
>Josh rolled onto her, holding his torso over her as he kissed her harder, Grace's arms wrapping around him pulling him closer to her as her hands moved over his back, eventually pausing as they both caught their breath. Josh rolled back onto his side, leaving an arm around her keeping her close to him.<br>"That was fun.." Grace grinned after a couple of minutes as the movie fell into silence as it changed scenes.  
>"You're trouble. You're gonna get me in trouble" he laughed, running a hand through her loose curls. "You're driving me crazy."<br>"We can…"  
>"Not tonight" he shook his head. "You promised your parents we weren't doing this to have sex...I'm not going to break it on the first night."<br>"Maybe the second?" she tried playfully.  
>"I think for the second we're going to have to have stricter clothing rules…a chastity belt might be a good start" he laughed. "I really really want you Grace…"<br>"I'm yours…" she told him seriously, sitting up to turn the laptop off. "Screw my parents Josh…let's do this. Why wait? I love you and I'm not going to regret that we went there…are you?"  
>"I thought you'd want it to be special…not just in my room."<br>She laid back down, her upper body propped up on his chest, "It will be special you idiot, because it's with you."  
>"Are you sure you want to do this?" he checked. "You didn't want to earlier…"<br>"Absolutely positive" she reassured him, leaning down to kiss him.  
>Josh finally looked convinced, easily rolling the two of them over so that he was leaning over her, kissing her the second her head met the pillow, his hands busying themselves in her hair. Grace moved hers down so that they explored his chest, moving them down to his upper abdomen tracing his firm muscles.<br>He smiled down at her, kissing her nose before moving down her neck and to her collarbone, sliding the straps of the chemise off her shoulders as he kissed the bare skin.  
>"You can take it off" she whispered, lifting her body up so he could remove the thin material, Josh unable to hold back his delight when he saw the delicate lace panties below without a bra, moving back down to gently kiss her breast, using his tongue to trace around her nipple.<br>Grace moaned at the sensation, her eyes closing, her hands moving from his abs to his back, pulling him closer to her.  
>"So you like that then?" he grinned, doing the same to her other breast.<br>"You don't need to ask that" she smiled moving her hands down his back into the band of his pants.

It was twenty minutes after the fact before either of them said anything, Josh having moved off Grace, holding her slight frame tightly in his arms so that her face was buried in his chest.  
>"You awake?" he checked quietly.<br>"Mmmm" she replied, moving against his embrace so she was lying on her back again, looking up at the roof. "We did it…and we didn't blow up" she giggled.  
>"Grace" he shook his head, trying not to laugh.<br>"I didn't turn into a pumpkin" she added, reaching a hand up to brush against the bottom of his chin.  
>"You're not funny" he told her, leaning down to kiss her softly.<br>"Lies," she smiled, her arm wrapping around the back of his neck.  
>"You're alright?" he checked with her.<br>"A little uncomfortable…but very happy" she smiled at him. "Think I've only just realised just how nervous I was about doing that."  
>"Can I get you anything?" he offered.<br>"I'm fine. I promise," she pushed him over so he was back on his back, rolling onto her side, resting her head on his chest so her face was only centimetres from his. "That was really good."  
>"Yeah…it was. And it'll only get better…I mean, if we do it again."<br>"If?" she smiled. "You're stuck with me for a while yet babe."  
>"Good…because I don't know what I'd do without ya Gracie."<br>"Good thing you're not going to have to find out."

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><p>Let me know what you think by clicking the big blue button below. That said, I will delete comments that have unnecessary foul language as what happened after the last chapter was unacceptable, but thank you to everyone who jumped to the stories defence. Comments about the quality of a story from someone who clearly has no understanding of basic spelling or grammar don't carry much weight I assure you, but I appreciate your support.<p> 


	18. Chapter 18

My sincere apologies… I looked at the date that I last updated a couple of nights ago and couldn't believe so much time has passed so quickly. I do present this delayed chapter with a couple of excuses; life has been really really busy lately, and when I have found the time to write I have been working on a sequel to this…which got me a little bit side tracked for a while.

Thank you to all who checked up on me, things have settled down slightly now (thank goodness!) and hopefully I will be able to get into a bit more of a writing routine again.

I hope that you enjoy, and will do my very best to get the next chapter out in the very near future. I can assure you that there are a couple of twists coming up that will make this get a little more interesting again.

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><p><strong>Once we were Young. <strong>

**Chapter 18**

Josh held Grace to him all night, his hand moving from her stomach to her breasts as he woke up.  
>Grace grinned, already awake, tilting her head up to look at him. "You woke up less than 3 seconds ago and your hand is already on my boobs."<br>"Impressive, isn't it?" he grinned moving to kiss her good morning. "Did you sleep well."  
>"I didn't stir. That second round knocked me out. I thought I was fit."<br>"No stamina" he teased, gently caressing the soft orbs in his hands.  
>"We've trained together before…this is just a different type of training" she grinned, moving her own hands down to her boyfriend's groin.<br>"Not this morning…I'm out."  
>"Really?" she checked. "You just woke up."<br>"No, of protection" he laughed.  
>"Well until last night we were both virgins…and I'm on the pill…"<br>"You really want to take that risk?"  
>"Alright… fifteen and pregnant…not the best look" she agreed. "Guess we're going shopping today then."<br>"Eager, aren't you?" he laughed.  
>"Aren't you?" she checked, suddenly nervous.<br>"Gracie, I don't want to let you go home tonight… Waking up in the morning without you is going to be hell. I'm just as eager to have you in my bed as you are to stay."  
>She laughed, "So that's a 'Yes Grace I want you so badly'?"<br>"Something like that."  
>"I'm hungry" she frowned.<br>"Well if you pull some clothes on you can make me breakfast" he smiled.  
>"I'm sorry…I can make YOU breakfast?" she raised her eyebrows.<br>"Well there's bacon, and there's eggs and toast…and we both know you're the better cook" he kissed her cheek.  
>"You are such a bull shitter" she laughed. "Even you can cook bacon and eggs."<br>"Alright alright" he grinned, "I'll do it…but you've got to keep me company."  
>"Fineeeee" she sighed dramatically pulling on yoga pants and one of Josh's shirts over the top.<br>Josh stared at her. "How do you do that?"  
>"Do what?"<br>"Look good in anything…babe you just got up, your hair is a mess, you're wearing my shirt…and I can barely stop myself ripping it straight back off you. You look hot."  
>She grinned, "You're bias. I could wear a potato sack and you'd drool over me…lucky for both of us I have slightly more class." She walked over to him and kissed him once more. "Fooddddd" she whined as she pulled back.<br>"You're a dag Reid" he laughed going to make breakfast.  
>Grace made the toast while he cooked. "You know peanut butter toast is fine. You don't really have to cook for me."<br>"I wanna."  
>She laughed "Better make the bacon crispy then."<br>"Right. Burn the bacon" he grinned.

Robbie wandered into the kitchen. "Something smells good. Gracie, hi, you're here early."  
>"Piss off Robbie" she replied without looking up. "There's nothing here for you."<br>"Oh c'mon just a bit of toast will do me" leaning over her shoulder to grab some toast from the plate.  
>Grace didn't hesitate in elbowing him straight back into his ribs at his approach. "I said piss off" she snapped, walking away from him and the toaster going to get the eggs from the fridge, taking them back over to Josh who was quick to put his arm around her.<br>"Bit feisty this morning Grace? On your rags? Good luck that mate" Robbie laughed to Josh as he left the kitchen with his toast.  
>Josh was fuming, "I will kill him."<br>"No you will not…just breathe. " Grace reassured him, holding onto his arm. "He's all talk. I can handle him and he's not gonna do anything while you're here anyway."  
>"I'm more worried about what he's gonna do if I'm not here…I don't want you here without me Gracie."<br>"It doesn't happen often…and you forget….three older brothers, I can hold my own."  
>He shook his head. "I don't like it…maybe I should look into other share houses?"<br>"Josh it's fine. If I'm meeting you and you're not home yet I'll just wait outside if the other guys aren't home."  
>He nodded, kissing the top of her head softly. "This isn't how this morning was meant to go," squeezing her waist gently. "I'm sorry."<br>Grace turned around in his arms so she was facing him. "You don't need to apologise for him being a jerk…besides, I got him good. You should be proud. He's gonna be sore for a couple of days. Might slow him down."  
>He smiled, leaning in and pressing his lips to hers, pushing her back against the bench. "Just as long as I don't get the same reaction when touching you."<br>She laughed, "The difference my love, is that your touch is wanted…needed even. Whereas his is just purely repulsive."  
>"Needed?" he raised his eyebrows, kissing her again.<br>"Mmmhmm" she smiled against his lips. "Ouch!" she pulled away quickly pushing him back off her as the hot oil from the bacon spat, hitting her on the neck. "Bloody bacon" she cursed, rubbing her neck with one hand, reaching for the tongues with the other and flipping it. "Better throw those eggs on too babe. We can continue that conversation later" she finished with a wink.

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><p>Three weeks later Grace was lying on a hill in the park beside Josh as they rested after a big run, her hand lazily reaching out for his as she caught her breath.<br>Josh smiled pulling hers onto his chest, holding it there, encased in both of his. "I let you beat me then."  
>Grace sat up quickly tearing her hand from his in the process. "You bloody well did not."<br>Josh laughed. "I knew you'd bite."  
>"Not funny, LOSER" she protested shoving him in the chest playfully. "I smashed you."<br>"Smashed?" he raised an eyebrow at her.  
>"Well I won…by a second…but a win's a win babe."<br>"I tripped!"  
>"That's loser talk, that is. A winner watches where they put their feet."<br>"Is that right?" he asked laughing.  
>"It is!" she confirmed.<br>"Guess the loser owes the winner an ice cream then."  
>Grace shook her head. "I have something else in mind."<br>"How come when I win it's always an ice-cream, I don't get a choice?"  
>"Cause you always win…and this is a momentous occasion."<br>Josh rolled his eyes. "Alright, what do I owe you?"  
>"Well you know how it's my birthday in two weeks?" she smiled sweetly.<br>"Oh is it? You should have said something, I never would have known" he laughed.  
>"Funny. Mum's talking about a family dinner… would you come?"<br>"Grace…" he sat up, looking at her.  
>"I know…" she nodded. "But I promise not all of my relatives are like my Mum. You like my brothers and you like Leisha."<br>"Have you even asked your Mum Grace? She's not gonna want me there."  
>"I told her I wasn't coming unless I could invite you."<br>"So she doesn't want me there."  
>"…No. But I do and it's my birthday, not hers. Look… I know this isn't your thing so I won't push it but you are welcome and I would love to have you there. I promise I wouldn't even leave you alone near the rellos."<br>"I'll think about it" he agreed.  
>"Pleaseeeeeee"<br>Josh laughed. "Thought you said you weren't going to push it."  
>"Maybe not so much…" she smiled.<br>He nodded, "Alright. But you leave me alone and you're in trouble."  
>"Fair enough" she grinned. "I knew you'd say yes."<br>"Wouldn't dare say no to Princess on her birthday," he laughed. "She might have a tantrum and I'd have to call her boyfriend to calm her down."  
>"Princess? Not today mate. Today I'd like to be called winner…and you…can be known as the loser." She grinned finally leaning back against him playfully.<br>"I'm never gonna hear the end of this am I?" Josh laughed.  
>"Not today. Maybe by the end of the week" she suggested with a laugh of her own.<br>Josh shook his head pushing her back down onto the grass and tickling her.  
>"Noooo" she squealed squirming underneath him still laughing. "Attack! Attack!" she squealed.<br>Josh put his hand over her mouth continuing to tickle her with his spare hand using his body weight to hold her there. "Shhh someone will call the cops on me" he laughed.  
>"Help" she laughed her voice muffled by his hand before nipping playfully at his fingers. "Stopppppppp" she whined her body relaxing as he finally took mercy on her.<br>"Still think you're the winner?" he laughed.  
>She poked her tongue out at him, moving her hand up to his neck to pull him down to kiss her. "I am. I'm also completely wrecked," she laughed. "You might have to carry me to the car."<br>"I can do that."  
>"Don't you dare!" she yelped as he moved to grab her. "Remind me why I love you again" she laughed.<br>"Cause I take pity on you and let you win races by pretending to trip over."  
>"Oh whatever" she laughed, rolling them onto their side throwing her leg over his lightly. "You know...it could still work in your favour…I happen to like to celebrate my victories," she ran her tongue over her lips casually.<br>"Oh…" he moved his hand up into her hair. "But it's a Sunday… you can't stay."  
>"No…but it's only mid-afternoon."<br>"What about your English assignment…and my Geography?"  
>Grace pulled back, raising her eyebrows at him. "Yeah….you're right…we should totally ditch an afternoon of passion for homework. A very sensible idea. Have you got rocks in your head?"<br>Josh laughed, "What happened to my straight A girlfriend?"  
>"She's still getting straight A's…she's just getting more creative about where and when she studies."<br>"So you don't have to go study this afternoon?"  
>She shook her head smiling. "Nup."<br>"Sounds good" he grinned helping her up. "Hey Gracie?"  
>"Yeah?"<br>"I'll race you to the car… loser buys the ice cream."

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><p>As usual, let me know your thoughts by reviewing below. I read every single one and appreciate your feedback.<p> 


	19. Chapter 19

Does a 'whoops' count as an excuse for not updating this any sooner? The good news is the next chapter is also sitting and ready to go so keep an eye out for that in the next few days (if anyone still wants to read this haha).

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and if I don't post again before New Years all the best for 2013 as well.

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><p>"You look buggered!" Alana commented when Grace walked over to her at school the following morning.<br>"Mmmhmm" she yawned. "English" she explained with a shrug.  
>"Thought you were on top of it?"<br>"I got… caught up" she laughed.  
>Alana laughed. "On top of something else were we?"<br>Grace blushed. "No! "  
>"Bullshit. Spill!" she urged with a grin.<br>"Nothing to spill. We were training yesterday and time got away from us."  
>"I thought you were only allowed to stay on weekends?" Alana queried.<br>"Who said anything about me staying?" she winked. "My afternoon just pushed my evening back by a couple of hours. I ended up finishing English about two in the morning."  
>"Your Mum's gonna kill you!" Alana teased.<br>"My Mum'll never know," she replied laughing.  
>"You better hope that's true," Alana grinned. "And you better hope you get an A+ on that paper or else you know Mummy Dearest will ban you from anymore sleepovers."<br>"Good luck to her" Grace pulled a face waving as she went to catch up with the other girls.

**2 days before Grace's birthday.**

"What do you think the chances are of you staying here tomorrow night?" Josh asked Grace as they watched a DVD on his laptop on his bed on the Thursday evening after both had finished work.  
>"Zero" she replied without looking at him.<br>"Really?"  
>She nodded, cuddling in closer against his chest. "Mum specifically requested that I stay home. Apparently a whole heap of family friends are coming over for dinner. "<br>"But you're birthday dinner isn't until Saturday night."  
>"I know. It's their friends and she wants me there" Grace replied unimpressed. "Probably just doesn't want me to wake up here on my birthday. You could come if you like?"<br>Josh frowned, "You could always come back here Saturday night after the dinner?"  
>"Sounds good. I'm sure Mum will come up with an excuse why I can't though," Grace paused as she saw his face drop. "Babe, I'm sorry… If it were up to me I'd be here every night I promise. What about Saturday lunch? We could do something then before the dinner?"<br>"Yeah ok."  
>"I know it's not ideal, but it's probably the only time we're going to get alone the whole weekend."<br>"Yeah," he forced a smile. "Guess I'd rather see you for a little while than not at all. Lunch it is."

**Saturday**

Josh knocked on the Reid family front door at eleven on the Saturday morning, double checking his shirt was tucked into his jeans as he waited for the his knock to be answered.  
>"Josh, mate come on in," Andrew answered the door with a smile. "Bit early for dinner though!"<br>"Narh, I'm taking the birthday girl out for lunch," he explained.  
>"That'd be why she's been in the bathroom for the last forty five minutes then?" Andrew laughed.<br>"As if it was that long" Grace laughed hearing the end of Andrews comment, pecking Josh on the cheek as she reached him. "Is that for me?" she queried, eyeing off the gift bag in Josh's hand.  
>"Nup," handing it to Andrew with a laugh. "Happy Grace's Birthday mate!"<br>"Aww you shouldn't have," Andrew played along. "Pink…my favourite."  
>Grace pouted. "You're both mean. You know that right?"<br>"Such a bloody Princess aren't ya?" Josh teased pulling her into his side affectionately.  
>"Your Princess" she smiled, snatching the bag out of Andrews hand before leaning into Josh who took it straight back off her.<br>"Oh vomit alert" Andrew laughed. "Take her away before I throw up on her," he added leaving the two of them alone.  
>Grace laughed. "Quickest way to get rid of him" she teased. "I'm not ready yet. I won't be long." Grace took his hand, leading him back up the stairs to her room.<br>"Hang on. Wait. Come here!" Josh laughed as Grace went straight back to the mirror. "At least let me say Happy Birthday" he said, pulling her closer to him locking his lips against hers. "Happy Birthday beautiful" he whispered as they broke apart.  
>Grace smiled, looking up into his eyes. "Thank you."<br>"And before you finish whatever it is you are doing you have a present to open."  
>"So it is mine," she grinned.<br>"Funny that," Josh laughed handing the gift bag back to her, brushing his fingers over hers as he did. "Happy Birthday" he told her again.  
>Grace finally broke eye contact looking down at the bag, taking out a card, her eyes tearing up as she read it, looking back up at Josh who put a finger to her cheek.<br>"You're not supposed to cry" he smiled, wiping a tear away gently.  
>"Shut up" she laughed quietly. "Thank you, that's so sweet."<br>He nodded, kissing her other cheek lightly. "Open your pressie baby."  
>"Baby," she mocked, smiling before reaching into the bag to pull out the small present. She unwrapped it before carefully opening the lid of the jewellery box to reveal a silver double heart pendant, with three miniature stones set along the join. "Oh Josh…" she looked back up at him. "This is beautiful. You shouldn't have."<br>"I wanted too. Do ya like it? The lady said if you don't you can exchange it."  
>"No… never. I love it. Thank you so much." She threw her arms around him, squeezing him tightly. "Best present ever! Hang on." She quickly ran to her mirror taking the necklace she was wearing off, taking the heart out of the box. "Can you put it on for me?"<br>Josh nodded, lifting her hair carefully and doing the fragile chain up around her neck. "Looks good" he smiled.  
>She looked in the mirror, smiling back at him. "It looks perfect. Thank you again."<br>"You're welcome. "

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><p><strong>Four weeks later<strong>

"What are you staring at?" Grace laughed as Josh stood frozen as she took her dress off to reveal a brown and pink bikini as they arrived at the beach. "Anyone would think you didn't see me naked this morning."  
>"You look hot."<br>"You've got a bit of something on your chin…just there" she laughed pretending to wipe away some drool from just under his lip.  
>"Every other guy on this beach is going to be checking you out" he protested wrapping his arms over her shoulders protectively. "I'm going to have to beat them off with seaweed."<br>"Oh get real" she rolled her eyes. "The second you take your shirt off they're gonna see your big manly muscles and go "Oooohhh he looks so tough and scary I won't go near them"" Grace mocked.  
>"Oh you're so funny" he laughed picking her up easily. "How about a dip before your friends get here?"<br>"Put me down or I will kick your arse"  
>Josh laughed running down the sand to the water with her still in his arms.<br>Grace clung to him tightly wrapping her legs firmly around his torso. "If I'm getting wet you are too" she laughed. Josh continued running into the water up to his hips before deliberately tripping so that both of them ended up in the water, Grace screaming as the cold hit her. "I am going to kill you" she whined, swimming back over to him and wrapping her legs around his waist. "Even you're cold now. I can't even use you for your body heat anymore," she protested leaning in to give him a very wet sloppy kiss. "I tell ya, sometimes I wonder why I love you" she laughed squealing again as Josh once again dropped her into the water.  
>"Because I'm full of surprises" he teased as he scooped her back up pulling her back into his embrace.<br>"That must be it" she kissed him again, this time a proper kiss not trying to annoy him. "I love school holidays. I also love you having a day off work."  
>He smiled kissing the top of her hair. "3 days off work. 3 days to spend with you….and now your friends."<br>"Just today with my friends; Tomorrow and the next day I am all yours if you don't get sick of me."  
>"Gracie, when have I ever looked like I'm getting sick of you?"<br>"Good point. I'm wonderful. Don't forget that when I steal the blankets tonight."  
>Josh ran his fingers through her wet hair. "If you weren't so cute when you slept I'd wrestle them back off you."<br>She forced her sweetest smile, "Lucky for me, cute just comes naturally… Hey Alana and the others are here," looking up and seeing her friends set up on the beach.  
>"You didn't tell me the other guys were coming."<br>"Should I have?" she queried, grabbing onto him tighter as a wave took her feet out from under her.  
>"Mmmm they check you out," he laughed as he locked his arm around her waist to hold her still.<br>Grace rolled her eyes. "They do not. They have their own girlfriends to look at. Bedsides, despite your bias opinion I am far from the hottest babe on this beach" she laughed. "And even if I was…it'd still be you I'd be asking to rub sunscreen on my back so relax and enjoy yourself."  
>"You're the only one I'm interested in looking at!"<br>Grace smiled. "Good. In case you haven't noticed my eyes aren't exactly wandering either. I know they're a bit up themselves but I'll try not to leave you alone with them for too long…They might try and pick you up you spunk!" she teased wiggling out of his arms. "C'mon. We better go back in."

Within an hour of being at the beach the boys had set up for beach cricket, Grace watching from where she sat with the rest of the girls on their towels.  
>Alana laughed at her, "you can't help yourself can you…you want to go play?"<br>She shook her head laughing. "Nope…. Happy here."  
>"Good…cause you'll bounce out of that bikini if you try and run."<br>"Bit skimpy for your liking Alana?" she laughed.  
>"No wonder Josh can't keep his eyes off you!"<br>"Give me a break. It's not that bad! The girls are covered"  
>"Narh it looks good."<br>"I know. And it's going to help me get an awesome tan."  
>"Who are you kidding?" Alana laughed. "You don't tan Gracie, you burn."<br>"Shut up!" Grace gave her a look, struggling not to laugh. "Lucky I've got the perfect person to rub sunscreen on my back then I guess."  
>"You really want to play don't you?" Alana asked again after another few minutes of Grace watching the boys.<br>Grace groaned and nodded. "Yep. Sorry. Stuff the bikini!" She threw her dress back on over her bikini and ran over to the game. "Count me in," she told the boys, going to field.

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><p>"Gracie, your phone's ringing" Josh called out to Grace from his lounge room while Grace got changed in his room later that night.<br>"Can you grab it?" she called back.  
>"Yep" he yelled grabbing the phone from her bag and answering the call. "Grace's phone."<br>"Brendan?" the voice on the other end asked, surprised.  
>Josh hung up quickly going into his room opening the door without knocking, Grace jumping quickly grabbing her towel.<br>"Josh I'm getting changed" she protested.  
>"How much contact do you have with my mother?" he asked, his voice firm and steady, his face set hard.<br>"Not much…" her voice trailed off.  
>"Right Grace. So why the hell did my mother just call your mobile. Why are you in contact with MY family at all?"<br>"Because Matty died Josh, and you left home, and you cut off contact with them. They worry about you. They miss you. At least by me checking in with them every couple of weeks they know that you are ok because you haven't even made the effort to call them Josh! "  
>"THEY'RE NOT YOUR FAMILY GRACE! WHAT GOES ON IN MY FAMILY IS NONE OF YOUR GOD DAMN FUCKING BUSINESS!" he yelled at her, annoyed.<br>Grace quickly pulled a singlet on throwing her towel back onto his bed. "You're right. They're not my family. They're your family and you've just turned your back on them for something that isn't their or your fault."  
>"SO BLOODY WHAT GRACE! It doesn't make it your problem. It doesn't mean you have to get involved. It's none of your business just stay away from them. You know what, stay away from me. Just go Grace. Piss off."<br>Grace nodded quickly brushing the tears that were running down her cheeks away with the back of her hand and grabbing her handbag, leaving without another word at his words.  
>Josh sat down on his bed shaking with a combination of rage and grief fiddling with Grace's phone which was still in his hand.<p>

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><p>Well, there you are. Trouble in paradise! It had to happen I suppose. Let me know what you think.<p> 


	20. Chapter 20

Just a short one today. Not that great and I apologise (and may later go back and edit this) but I am injured and on a cocktail of pain killers at the moment, so everythings a little hazy.

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><p>Once We Were Young<p>

Chapter 20

"Gracie did you leave your phone at Josh's or something?" Leisha asked as Grace walked past her room. "I just got out of the shower and there's two missed calls on my phone from him."  
>"Yeah I must have" she mumbled walking past.<br>Leisha got up following her into her room. "Hey, what's up?"  
>"Nothing. I'm fine, go away."<br>"You're not fine…. What's happened?"  
>"Leisha I said I'm fine."<br>"Did you have a fight with Josh? Is that why he's ringing me?"  
>"We broke up ok. Happy? Can you leave me alone now?"<br>"Whoa broke up? What the hell happened? You two are basically inseparable!"  
>Grace shook her head bursting into tears. "Just go Leisha! Please I want to be left alone."<br>Leisha pulled her into a hug. "It'll be ok Gracie."  
>"Go away" she sobbed hugging her sister tightly. "I've never seen him so angry…I've stuffed up Leish."<br>"Shhhh" she soothed rubbing her back. "It'll be ok. Whatever's happened he loves you and he's not going to hold anything against you for long."  
>"He told me to piss off. He's never going to want to talk to me again."<br>"Gracie calm down. He's called my phone twice, he obviously wants to talk to you. Do you want to call him back."  
>She shook her head still crying. "I don't want to talk to him."<br>"Grace…don't do this. If you talk to him now you can sort this out."  
>"No… I don't want to."<br>Leisha shook her head dialling Josh's number anyway.  
>"Leisha I said NO" Grace cried hearing Josh answer on the other end.<br>"Hello?" Josh asked a second time, "Gracie?"  
>Grace shook her head sobbing louder as Leisha thrust the phone at her.<br>"No it's Leisha" she replied. "Look I don't know what's happened Josh but my sister is here sobbing her heart out right now."  
>"Is she ok?" he asked worried.<br>"She doesn't want to talk to you. Seriously Josh if you've done something to hurt her you're in the shit, you know that right. The twins will kill you."  
>Grace snatched the phone out of Leisha's hands. "Leisha shut up! Get out! You're not helping!" she yelled at her.<br>Leisha threw her hands up in the air walking out of the room leaving Grace with the phone, smiling to herself once she turned the corner knowing at least her sister now had the phone in her hands.  
>Grace bit her lip putting the phone back to her ear. "I'm fine" she managed, her voice shaking.<br>"No you're not."  
>"I'm fine. You've made your thoughts perfectly clear Josh…. " she sniffed.<br>"I just don't see why you didn't tell me you were doing it Grace. Or why you felt the need to do it at all."  
>"I don't want to talk about it. I don't even want to talk to you right now."<br>"That's bullshit Grace. You can't just not talk about it."  
>"Why not Josh? It's what you do isn't it? You never even mention Matty, or your parents. It's like they died too! I'm sorry if you think I've interfered but they've been worried sick about you. All I've done is let them know that you're alright, and that I'm looking after you."<br>"You're looking after me?" he laughed obnoxiously. "Grace I can look after myself. I don't need you to survive."  
>Grace stayed silent for a few seconds before she spoke again. "Why are you being such a jerk?" she said softly, holding back a sob.<br>"Because you're interfering in my life Grace! You're doing what you whinge that your mother does. You're butting in to things that aren't your business, just like she does. It's my decision if I want to have contact with my parents or not."  
>"And it's my decision if I want to have contact with them as well" she surmised. "If I'm so interfering and annoying maybe you're right. Maybe I should just piss off and leave you alone."<br>"Maybe!" he shot back.  
>"Alright fine. Have a nice life Josh" she snapped as she hung up before bursting into tears.<p>

* * *

><p>Josh got up to a knock on the door at two am two days later, opening the door in simple black shorts with no shirt, his hair ruffled, in a similar state to the blonde standing on the mat in front of him, a clear indicator of a similar restless night. "Gracie?" he looked around for a car. "What the hell! What are you doing here? How did you get here?"<br>"I couldn't sleep" she whispered, a fresh load of tears running down her cheeks as he pulled her into his arms, embracing her tightly. "I hate fighting with you Josh…I'm sorry. I don't want to break up with you…I really don't. I'm so sorry." She whimpered, wearing pyjama pants and a singlet shivering in the cool night air.  
>He kissed the top of her head softly, rubbing her arms. "I know…I'm sorry too Gracie. " he soothed holding his girlfriend as close to him as he had done on the day he'd lost his brother.<p>

"How did you get here?" he asked a few moments later, after he'd ushered her inside and out of the weather, still keeping an arm around her to keep her close, as he shut and locked the door behind them.  
>"I walked…."<br>"You walked to my place in the middle of the night? Alone? Grace anything could have happened to you! Why the hell didn't you call me! I could have come over…I could have come and got you."  
>She shrugged, still slightly spaced out, "I didn't think….I'm sorry…I know it's the middle of the night but I just wanted to see you…are we going to be ok?"<br>Josh nodded, "Of course we are. It was just a fight baby…you think I'm going to let you go that easily? Just try and calm down, you'll make yourself sick. C'mon" he took her hand gently leading her to his room where he grabbed his discarded shirt, helping her put it on over her singlet before sitting down on his bed with her, pulling her back into his arms. "You ok?" he checked gently, brushing her hair off her face with his fingers.  
>She cuddled into his side, her own arms wrapping around his upper torso, shaking her head as she did so. "Not really. Josh, I love you and I'm so so sorry I interfered but let me make it up to you. I really don't want to break up with you…I don't want to lose you. You might not need me but I need you, I do" she sobbed.<br>"We're not breaking up Gracie. Shhhh it's going to be ok. I'm the one who should be sorry Grace. I said some really horrible things to you and I didn't mean any of them. You weren't interfering….you were worried about me and worried about my parents and I shouldn't have yelled at you for that…and I lied; Gracie I need you. I need you in my life more than anything else in the world. I don't know how I would have got through the last ten months without you. If anyone's got any making up to do baby it's me. I'm sorry Grace. Please…don't cry." Josh rubbed her back in a small circular motion, nuzzling his chin into her hair. "I don't want to lose you either."  
>"You won't" she whispered, still crying softly, but no longer shaking with sobs. "I love you."<br>"I love you too. Always."

Half an hour later and Grace's tears had finally subsided, the two now leaning back into the pillows on the bed, Grace's head resting on Josh's chest, playing with her birthday necklace as she battled against sleep as the clock approached three in the morning. With a small, forced sigh Grace forced herself to sit up in an effort to remain awake. "I better go" she reasoned.  
>"Stay" he whispered, reaching for her to pull her back into his side.<br>"I'm working in the morning."  
>He nodded, sitting up with her. "I'll drive you home then."<br>"…I want to stay with you" she whispered, leaning her head on his shoulder.  
>"You sure?" he double checked.<br>"Mmmmm. Hang on," she reached for her phone, still sitting on Josh's bedside table, quickly typing a text to her sister.  
>"What did you say?" he asked, brushing her hair back.<br>"To tell Mum and Dad that I got up early to meet you for a run and that you'd drop me at work."  
>He nodded, pulling the covers back, helping her under them, being unusually gentle with her. "Get some sleep."<br>She nodded, curling back into his side once he was settled beside her. "I'm sorry" she whispered again.  
>"Shhh just go to sleep now Baby. You're exhausted."<br>"Night" she whispered, not needing anymore encouragement.

* * *

><p>Ideas, thoughts etc are most welcome :) I've got a bit of a story map going at the moment and I'm starting to wrap things up, but it's never too late for a bit of input (or for future story ideas!).<p>

Thanks (and again, sorry for the length of this chapter!)


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